


Out of Control

by IWillBeYourPet



Category: Prison Break
Genre: A ridiculous amount of tags, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Biting, Bullying, But Tbag seems okay with it, Dominance, Dominance games, Dominant Abruzzi, Dubious Consent, Exploiting past abuse, Fuck Or Die, Humiliation, I think that is everything now, M/M, Male Slash, Manipulation of time line, Not Really A Happy Ending, Not so nice sex, Oral Sex, Past Child Abuse, Please do not copy or translate, Possessive Behavior, Power Play, Rough Oral Sex, Roughness, Skirting the line of canon... kind of, So is Abruzzi, Tbag is effed up, Teasing, Unequal relationships, Unhealthy Relationships, Unless there is a sequel, repost, some violence, submissive TBag, twisted feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:02:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 15
Words: 54,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26705668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillBeYourPet/pseuds/IWillBeYourPet
Summary: T-bag is driving Michael crazy and for the good of the escape Abruzzi takes on trying to get him under control. It works a little too well, leading to a dangerous game of dominance between John and Theodore.Not the nicest story though it does have feelings, just the kind of twisted ones people like Abruzzi and Tbag have :DStory is around 50k words and will be posted up as I edit/fix up chapters.  A sequel is also kind of in the works :DPlease do not post to other sites, copy or translate this work.
Relationships: John Abruzzi/Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell
Comments: 48
Kudos: 53





	1. Chapter 1

“Tbag is out of control.” Michael sounded strung out, his entire body tense, and his movements were jerky. “I can’t keep... I don’t know what to do about him.”

Abruzzi had been leaning against the wall keeping an eye on the door in case the man in question made his way back and he realized he had to do something more than monitor from the sidelines. None of them were getting out without Michael and it was clear that he wasn’t handling the stress as well as he could have.

It all would have been easier if Michael had just let Tbag have the new fish, but no, he had to make a stand there. He didn’t know why Michael cared, there was plenty of prison bitches taken before he got there, and there would be plenty after he left. This one wasn’t even particularly worth protecting from the little that Abruzzi had seen of him. And if Tbag could just have him, he’d be calm.

What it left them with was a wild dog that was chomping at the bit to cause some damage, to dominate something, to fuck something with no chance of satisfying that want. Tbag didn’t take well to being told what to do by someone like Michael, it wasn’t like he really had a hold of his leash, more like he was holding a big rock and saying ‘good doggy’ until he could find a way out. It kept Tbag at a distance but it did nothing to make him more docile. He wasn’t surprised that Michael couldn’t handle it. He was a good guy, and someone like Tbag needed a not so good guy to deal with him.

He pushed off the wall, “I’ll take care of Tbag.”

Michael’s eyes darted to him, wide and nervous and he chewed his lip as he glanced at the door and lowered his voice, “I don’t want anyone killed.”

“I’m not going to kill him.” He didn’t think he was anyways, though he had thought about it more than once, sometimes the sheer arrogance of the little redneck made him want to grind him in to the ground until he was nothing, but it would scare off Michael. “He’s just a disobedient dog that needs to be brought to heel. I can do that.”

Linc was glancing between Michael and him and raised an eyebrow at him. Oh, college boy’s brother was a criminal, and he could read in between the lines. Abruzzi met his eyes with a challenge in them but Linc just shrugged and looked away. Michael didn’t miss the interaction though, he should have known that, the man missed very little.

“What does that mean?”

“Leave it to me.” He glanced at the door again, “I won’t kill him. I’m just going to get him under control.”

Michael hesitated, like he wasn’t sure what Abruzzi meant and was going to argue ... what? To protect Tbag? Outside the door there was the sound of that Alabama drawl, clearly talking to a guard and trying to stall them and why the hell had the warning come so late? They all leapt into action, covering the hole and getting everything straightened, just barely in to place as the door opened up.

The first thing John saw was Tbag’s panicked face, going straight to him, and he made sure to glare him down. Made sure the man knew that he had fucked up. Tbag’s eyes lowered as the bull shoved him out of the way, coming in the room. The smaller man let himself be pushed in to the wall and stayed there, hands down by his sides. The guard seemed to think there was something going on, probably because of the stalling, but after he looked around and couldn't see anything out of place he frowned. 

“Wrap it up for the day.”

“We still have an hour-”

“Wrap it up.”

After making sure that they were doing what they were supposed to be the guard glanced over them all and then headed out. As soon as the door was shut Tbag had his hands up, tripping over himself to explain. “Fellas, I was keeping an eye out-”

Abruzzi stalked towards him and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him hard against the wall. The man scrambled at him for a moment, holding on to his arm before he went still, looking up at John, eyes blazing. Abruzzi met his eyes and they stared off, the others behind them momentarily startled but then they were cleaning up. John ignored them as he stared down Tbag.

The man was still pulling at his arm and he used his bigger size to his advantage, lifting his arm up, forcing Tbag to go to his tip toes or choke himself and finally when he could barely touch, face red and struggling to breath did he stop fighting him. He looked down, breaking the stare and John held him for a moment longer before he let him go. 

His weight suddenly back on his feet spilled Tbag to the ground, landing on his hands and knees at John’s feet as he coughed and hacked, trying to get his breath back. John watched him carefully, waiting for him to come up like a wild animal any second but even after the coughing stopped he stayed huddled on the ground.

Abruzzi was sure he was trying something, and after a few impatient moments he reached down to grab Tbag by the collar of his shirt, dragging him to his feet and pushing him against the wall again. “Why didn’t you see the guard?”

“I _was_ watching-”

His hand whipped out to slap Theodore in the face, and the nerves, the fear that had been on Theodore’s face slipped away to be replaced by a red hot rage but before he could do anything Abruzzi snarled out, “We just did this. You want to do it again?” His hand grabbed Tbag’s jaw, fingers pressing under it just enough to tilt his head up but not grabbing his throat yet. There was a stark red mark across his cheek where he had hit him and he let his thumb stroke against it, reminding him without words what would happen if he tried to bullshit him again.

Finally the man muttered, “I was watching the new fish in the yard.”

“Ah.” Of course he was. His last bitch was gone, Scofield wouldn’t let him have a new one. True to his nature apparently he couldn’t even think straight if he wasn’t getting any. Abruzzi felt his lip curl, he’d never understood the desire. He wasn’t interested in men, and even at the prospect of never being with his wife again it still wasn’t an option he considered.

Until there was a small whine from Tbag he hadn’t realized he had been tightening his hand, and he looked back to Tbag’s face, angry at himself for losing focus. He was holding a dangerous man under his hands, and he had to remember that. It was easy to forget sometimes, especially when Tbag wanted you to. He could use his size, that he was small and could be charming to lull people into a false sense of security. He’d seen people too cocky for their own good go down for that mistake before.

Abruzzi knew better though. He felt someone behind him but didn’t take his eyes off of Theodore. “What?”

“We’re all cleaned up.” Michael was hovering over his shoulder, and he spared him a glance only to find the man’s eyes on Tbag. “We can go.”

“You guys go. We’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

He could feel Tbag swallow hard under his hand, and now the casualness of his stance was gone and he was staring at Abruzzi like things may be more serious than he thought they were. Tbag was used to this, getting shoved around and hit, and he clearly didn’t expect anything further than that.

“Hey, we don’t want the bulls to-”

“Quiet.” Tbag fell silent at the command, licking his lips nervously. Behind them they could hear the rest of the group filing out but they only had eyes for each other. 

Once they were alone Tbag spoke again, his voice subdued, “Are you going to kill me, John?”

“No.” He was reluctant to remove his hand and he wasn’t sure why but he finally did and took a few steps back. Tbag stayed pressed against the wall, watching him. “But we are going to have a little bit of a... talk.”

Tbag nodded, none of the tension leaving his shoulders. “Is this the kind of talk where I end up bleeding?”

Abruzzi couldn’t help but chuckle at that, watching the way the sound made Tbag twitch and he put his hands out in a helpless gesture. “That’s up to you then, isn’t it?”

“Then I vote no.”

“And if only it was that easy Theodore.” 

Tbag glanced around the room, looking for exits maybe. Checking to see if there was anyone else in the room. With whatever he saw he finally leaned back against the wall, going for easy and relaxed. Abruzzi was sure that it was a cover, because between the two of them Tbag was outmatched and they both knew it.

“We’re going to have a talk about your behavior, Theodore.”

The name made him twitch too, and Abruzzi was intrigued by how tense the man was. Tbag grinned at him though, “Hey, it’s no secret that I’m not exactly wanted here, John. That doesn’t change that I _am_ here.”

“That can change.” It would be much easier to just kill him, but as he eyed him a different plan came to mind. “You’re stressing out Michael, and without him none of us are going anywhere. You understand my motivation to make things go smoothly here, yes?”

Tbag rolled his eyes, “I haven’t touched the fish. I have been on my very absolute best fucking behavior John.”

“When you aren’t almost getting us caught because you’re chasing tail.” Before Tbag could defend himself John moved in to his space again, grabbing Theodore by the front of his jumpsuit. “I couldn’t care less if you took the boy, but Michael will not waver on it.”

Tbag’s lip curled and John could see the edges now, the anger that he was being dictated to by someone that had no prison clout. That shouldn’t be able to do anything to him. That under different circumstances should be cowering next to him, fingers wrapped around his pocket. “Maybe you may have missed it John, but I’m not some henchmen standing mindlessly around. I should be able to do what I want.”

“But you can’t.” He let go of the jumpsuit, curious by how little the man resisted against him. He moved his hand instead to the back of Theodore’s neck, gripping it tight like he would hold a disobedient dog by the scruff. “So either you stop what you are doing to aggravate him, or you’ll be removed from the team. Permanently.”

Theodore was calmly letting John hold him but at that the fight finally flashed as he reached up to shove Abruzzi back, not phased when he was only able to push him back a few inches. Just enough to give him some breathing space. “I’m not the only one that can be removed John.”

He froze at the words and his fingers tightened into the back of Tbag’s neck as he leaned forward to meet his eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

Tbag’s eyes darted to his, weighing his options, deciding what he wanted to do. Finally he settled on an answer that didn’t feel too much like giving in, “Michael doesn’t like killing, I doubt if I attacked you my place on the team would be any more secure than it is now.”

A slam on the door made them jump apart and the bull was looking in, frowning when he saw how close they were. “Let’s go convicts!”

John tightened his fingers the little bit more, certain that he would leave bruises on the man’s neck and leaned in close to him, “This isn’t over Theodore. We have more to talk about when we have more... privacy. Don’t worry, I’ll find you when it’s time.”

He let go and turned his back to him, making a point that he wasn’t afraid of him. After a second he heard the footsteps behind him that said that Tbag was following. The man looked put out, frazzled, and Abruzzi grinned to himself. It was going to feel good to put the man in his place.


	2. Daddy

Tbag was walking to lunch, chatting with Trokey when suddenly there was a hand around his mouth, someone grabbing his arms and he was being dragged into a hallway and then shoved into a storage room. He yelled and kicked, trying to get out of the grip, but the three men had him. His hands were pulled together and tied and the fear threatened to overwhelm him before he got it under control. 

A fist caught him in the face, snapping his head to the side and he barely had time to recover from that before another one hit him in the stomach. The bruises he had from the last time Abruzzi’s men beat the shit out of him hadn’t even fully faded yet. Another punch to the face and he bit his tongue, blood filling his mouth. He tensed for another hit but it didn’t come and when he opened his eyes – when had he closed them? – he was staring at John.

The men let him go and he could have stayed on his feet but he let himself fall to his knees. It didn’t hurt him at all, didn’t take anything away from him but it never hurt to make John feel a little more at ease. To catch him off guard by offering more submission than he felt. With just a nod of the head John’s men left the room and for a moment there was a sharp feeling of unfairness that Theodore shook his head to clear. This was prison. It wasn’t fair. Never mind that he was the head of his own gang, that the Purity Alliance ran a good chunk of the prison, he knew that he’d never be able to do the same. Have John dragged somewhere and beat the shit out of him with impunity. 

“Get up.”

He looked all the way up at John before he turned his head and spit out a mouthful of blood and shook his head. “Why? I have the feeling I’m just gonna be knocked back down.”

As he expected John grabbed him and dragged him to his feet and he was backed up until he hit a table, it digging painfully into his lower back. “You’ll do what I tell you.”

He shrugged, because he couldn’t really deny that, not when he didn’t have much choice. John seemed to accept that because he let go of Tbag’s shirt and leaned against the wall. “I have a proposition for you Tbag, to keep everyone happy and... getting along.”

It wasn’t what he had expected to hear and he found himself curious, pushing slightly off the table so it wasn’t digging into his back and tilted his head, letting the smirk that he _knew_ John hated cross his face. If the man was going to lose his temper with him, might as well do it on his own terms. “Oh? Do tell, John.”

Abruzzi looked unsure for a second before it faded away and the man smiled at him. “You’re going to do what I say, when I say it Theodore. No more back talk, no straying from the plan, _nothing_.”

Tbag could feel the smirk fade into something else, still a smile but dark. The kind that people saw just before he ended their lives. He ground out, “Doesn’t sound like much of a compromise John. What am I getting out of this?”

“Besides out of prison?”

“Besides out of prison.”

“It’s been awhile since you’ve had special friend, hasn’t it Tbag? I see you watching Tweener, if you stopped thinking with your dick for more than 2 minutes you might be a formidable threat. Instead, you’re too busy trying to get laid to be dangerous.”

“Oh John, I promise you that I am plenty dangerous.” His hands were still tied in front of him and he pressed them in tight against his stomach, feeling where the shiv was stashed in the band of his pants and tried to figure out exactly what John was saying.

“I’m offering you...” John’s mouth twisted and he met Tbag’s eyes. “Sex. I’m offering sex.”

Tbag nearly choked on his tongue because of all the things that the man could have said, that was not one that he had expected. He knew he was staring dumbly at him, and he tried to make his mouth work, but even after he licked his lips a few times he still wasn’t sure what to say. Finally he offered up, “Tweener?”

“No. No one against their will. Not if we want to keep Michael quiet.”

He tilted his head and eyed John, and could see the tension in the way he was standing and now he understood the uncertainty. He lifted his bound hands above his head and behind his neck, going for casual as he leered at John. “You?”

John nodded and all kinds of thoughts ran through Tbag’s mind, his dick instantly hard, but when he tried to move forward John lunged towards him, the hand around his throat again, pushing him back until he was nearly over the table. The casual pose he had gone for didn’t help, as he was pressed back against the table he couldn’t get his hands out from behind his head, and he was trapped, body stretched out uncomfortably. 

There was no way the man couldn’t feel how hard he was like this, the bigger body pressed fully over him and he shifted his weight to rub his cock against the man’s hip, mostly just to piss him off. Abruzzi only laughed though, “You are just like a dog. That’s all it takes to get you going?”

He tried to shrug but he didn’t have enough room to move so instead he just rocked his hips up again and made sure the leer was in his voice, “You’re the one that brought up sex.” 

Abruzzi glanced down at where he was pressed against his hip and then back up. “I take it, that is a yes then?”

Tbag felt like he was being set up but this was too good to pass up. “Yes.” He couldn’t imagine the mob boss bending over for him though, and even as he tried to distract the man he tried to figure out what he really meant. What was really going to happen. Maybe a handjob? “It’s difficult to do it this way John, maybe it’s been awhile for you but-”

When John pulled back he thought he had finally gotten to him but John didn’t loosen his grip, pulling him with him. Before he understood what was going on John had spun him around and shoved him back over the table, hand grabbing his bound hands at the base of his neck, his big hand wrapping in his hair as well, pinning him down over the table. 

“I remember just fine how to do it.”

John pressed in against him and Tbag abruptly stopped struggling when he realized there was a hard dick pressing against his ass, and the frozen state only lasted a moment before he was trying to get away. Kicking and squirming with real intent now, because a little too late he understood what the man was saying. 

When he could plan, when he could use his shiv, when he could use his gang to back him he wasn’t afraid of men that were bigger than him. He’d always been on the small side, that had never stopped him from getting his way. He ran the Purity Alliance and no one questioned him, but in this storage closet with just him and Abruzzi none of that mattered. 

His adrenaline spiked with fear, John had him pinned down completely and he couldn’t move, and he hadn’t felt this powerless since he was a child. Even at 16 when he had entered prison and realized how different it was from juvie he hadn’t given in. He had taken beatings but he was no bitch, and no one had been able to make him submit. He had been a victim when he was a child but he hadn't been a victim for long once he was in and out of the system. In and out of prison where his daddy was nowhere near him. And now he couldn’t stop trying to fight even after the hands twisted in his hair painfully, couldn’t stop fighting even if he wanted to. 

“Settle down, Teddy.”

At the name a sob managed to make its way out of his throat no matter how hard he tried to stop it. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing how afraid he was. The grip on his hair loosened, letting his hands go. He pulled them from behind his head but with them tied together he could only put them in front of him, try to use them to get leverage against the wall, but there was nothing he could _do_.

Abruzzi’s hands were on his shoulders, sliding down his back to his sides and another sob made its way out as he kicked back again. John finally did something about that, kicking his legs apart and grabbing him by the waist to hoist him up further on the table so his feet weren’t on the ground and he couldn’t use that as leverage. He cringed away from the man, but there was nowhere to go. He was frantic now, not used to feeling so helpless, and it took him a long time to realize that John was just leaning against him, but not doing anything else.

He turned his head so he could try to see Abruzzi and when he stopped struggling Abruzzi stroked his sides like he was a wild animal he was trying to calm down. “Easy Teddy, this is just going to be a little lesson.”

“Don’t... don’t call me that.”

“And why is that, Teddy?”

He shook his head, refusing to answer and Abruzzi shrugged. He leaned over him until he was right over Theodore’s shoulder. “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”

He didn’t believe that at all and he knew the disbelief was in his voice. Also fear, but he chose not to think about that. “Then let me go.”

“No, not until you understand who is in charge here.” One of John’s hands went around to the front of his pants, undoing the button and even though he swore to himself he wouldn’t Tbag found himself begging.

“Please don’t, I’ll ... I’ll behave better John, you don’t have to ... have to...”

“For someone that rapes people on a regular basis you sure do seem to have a hard time finding the words.” He got the button undone and the zipper but that was all. “You’re getting all worked up for nothing.”

“Let me go.”

“You wanted sex. I’m going to give that to you Theodore. Surely you didn’t think that I’d bend over for you.”

“I don’t, please.”

Abruzzi trailed one hand down the man’s back until he reached his pants and wrapped his fingers around the back of them, giving them a hard yank down until they were at his thighs, leaving him bared. He waited for the fight that he was sure he was going to get but Theodore had gone still, bound hands pulled in tight with his face buried in them. 

John hummed under his breath, and tried to remember exactly what his plan had been. He hadn’t really thought it out, not sure if he was planning on fucking the man into submission and keeping him there out of fear, or out of need. He wanted to hurt him, and it wasn’t like the man wouldn’t deserve it, but he was quickly remembering that if he wanted him loyal, if he wanted to bring Tbag to heel and to have him actually _listen_ instead of just bide his time until he could fuck them all over he had to do this a little differently. It was supposed to be a lesson in obedience, not revenge.

“Theodore, I’m not going to hurt you. But you need to relax. I’m sure you’ve done this before.”

Out of habit Tbag shook his head hard, and muttered out, “I’ve never bottomed, I’m not-”

“Sure you have. Let’s not have lies between us.” He palmed the man’s ass with one hand and was surprised when his cock twitched. He had been half hard since he had pinned the other man but he hadn’t thought the actual act of fucking him would turn him on so much. Or maybe it had to do with the dominance of it. He tugged on the man’s pants, pulling them down a little further and there was the metallic clang of a shiv hitting the ground. 

Instantly he wrapped his hand in Tbag’s hair and jerked backwards, pulling him up at an awkward angle and snarled against the side of his face, “You have a shiv? Were you planning on using that Teddy?”

He tried to shake his head and was in survival mode now. “I always have one, I wasn’t... I wasn’t going to use it.” He had suffered a lot and he had made it through it, and he would this too. If it secured him a place in the break out he could put up with anything.

His head was shoved down with enough force that it bounced off the table and he muttered, “Ouch.”

“You’re acting like you’re being punished Teddy, I told you. That isn’t what is happening here.” He reached into his pocket to find the slick that he had procured, and pressed his left hand in between Tbag’s shoulders to keep him down while he dipped his fingers in the lube and pressed in between Theodore’s legs.

Teddy hissed when the fingers entered him, shifting uncomfortably, pressing his face down against the table as he tried to focus on anything else. Abruzzi wasn’t making it easy though, he had expected the man to fuck him and then leave him to lick his wounds but the man was still pressing over him, slowly stretching him.

The fingers twisted and pressed, bumping his prostate and he whimpered, which made Abruzzi do it again. He refused to enjoy it, there was no pleasure to be had in submitting, he had already done that enough in his life and he wouldn’t again. He grunted when Abruzzi added a third finger, and though it was uncomfortable it didn’t feel _bad_. In fact it felt good, better than it should, and a wave of shame made him choke out another sob. When John pressed against his prostate again he couldn’t help the whine that made it out of his mouth and he tried to pull away. The hand on his back was barely holding him and he tried to twist, bound hands pressing against the wall.

John caught him though, pulling his fingers out of his ass to hold his hips down and he sounded annoyed, “What are you doing?”

“Please stop.”

“I’m not hurting you.” John’s voice was certain, he could see that Tbag’s dick was hard, knew that he was hitting all the right spots, the man should be giving in, seeking anything to get off but he was still fighting, still struggling though not with the fervor that he usually had. The struggle was weak, fearful, and it didn’t take much to subdue him again.

“Please don’t.” Theodore sounded like a child, voice small and whimpering.

“I think we’re past that Teddy.” He was annoyed though, this wasn’t going as he thought it would. He slipped his hand around Tbag and grabbed his dick, stroking him fast and hard. Teddy stopped struggling, a moan making its way out of his throat as his hips jutted, pressing into Abruzzi’s hand and that was what he wanted. He kept his hand moving as he slid his fingers back inside, and even though the sound Teddy made was broken he didn’t tell him to stop. As he pressed against that spot again finally, _finally_ , Theodore pushed back against his fingers, giving in. 

It was what he had been waiting for and he leaned over him, fleetingly wishing that there was more skin touching and he wasn’t sure where that thought had come from. This wasn’t actually about sex, it was just about leashing the wild card below him, but there was something else there that he couldn’t quite explain. He huffed a breath against Theodore’s skin, feeling him shiver before he bit down on the side of his neck. 

The wail that came from the man under him sounded like a wounded animal and he bit down just short of leaving a mark before he pulled back. He used his free hand to wrap around Theodore’s mouth and spoke against his neck. “This is just between us Teddy, no one will know. My men think I’m beating you, and that is what everyone else will think too. No one needs to know that we are doing this, that you are enjoying this. So keep it quiet.”

He pulled his hand away and Tbag was immediately talking, voice strained. “You won’t tell anyone that I... you give me your word John.”

John pulled his fingers out and paid attention to slicking up his cock, making Teddy wait on his answer. When he finally lined his cock up and grabbed on to those thin hips he nodded even though the man couldn’t see him, “You have my word. I told you I wasn’t here to hurt you, just to give you an... incentive to behave. No one will know.”

He didn’t wait for an answer as he was sliding in, Teddy scrambling to hold on to the edge of the table, whimpering and shifting his hips. John moved slow, giving him time to adjust, making sure that it was good for the man. That was the point of this. Once he was pressed fully in he tightened his hold on his hips and tried to ignore that it wasn’t just Tbag that was enjoying this. He waited as long as he could before he pulled out and slammed back in, barely managing to keep quiet himself. How long had it been since he fucked anything.

A few strokes until he had the right angle and then Teddy was writhing beneath him, hips pressing up to meet each thrust and he knew that he had won. He tried to make his voice sound unaffected but he knew there was a heated quality to it, “I knew you’d take to submitting Teddy, you just needed a firm hand.”

Either the man agreed or was too far gone to argue, but he’d take it either way. He was going to cum, he couldn’t last when it had been so long. Teddy was mewling, gasping against the table and he grabbed him by the hair to pull his head back and up, lifting him half of the table as he scrambled to follow the pull. It arched his back and Abruzzi slid deeper, growling as he slammed into him as hard as he could. He reached around Teddy to grab his dick and as soon as he touched him the man was cumming, crying out and Abruzzi let him fall back to the table and focused on chasing his own orgasm, holding on tight while he came deep inside him. 

There were a few final thrusts, rocking through the aftershocks, before he rested his weight on him, trying to catch his breath. Beneath him he could feel Theodore shaking and he reached up to grab at his head, though it was more of a pet, carding his fingers through his hair.

It only made Teddy tuck his head in further and it took a few seconds, the orgasm dulling his senses for a moment, to realize that the man was crying. He pushed up, eyeing him. The man was a manipulative fuck, but there was something about the way he was trying to hide it that made him think that he wasn’t pretending.

He let his hand trail from Theodore’s hair to the back of his neck, stroking his thumb across his hairline. The man’s body moved into him, trying to push into the touch and slowly the crying faded away until the man just lay below him. He slid his hand around the side of Theodore’s face, intending on grabbing his jaw to turn his head so he could question whether or not he understood the lesson, but came up short when the man nuzzled his hand, pressing his cheek into it like he was desperate for the touch.

All of this must be some kind of subterfuge to catch him off guard. He knew he had humiliated the man, hurt him in a way that had little to do with physical pain, and he must already be plotting what he was going to do. Abruzzi frowned when he pulled his hand away and pressed one hand to the middle of Tbag’s back, pushing off him as he pulled out. Theodore whimpered when he pulled out, body hunching, but he didn’t move beyond that. John pulled up his pants, tucking himself away as he eyed the man. “Tbag.”

There was no response at all to the name and he narrowed his eyes. “Teddy.” There was a small whine but then Tbag had his bound hands on the table, pushing himself off the edge of it until his feet touched and Abruzzi grabbed his arm to spin him around before he could do it himself. Theodore’s pants were still down, cum sliding down his thighs and the front of his shirt was smeared with his own jizz.

He was looking down and wouldn’t make eye contact, hands tucked against his chest. There was something wrong that Abruzzi couldn’t quite put his finger on, his gut told him something more than he had meant to had happened. “Come on, get your pants up.”

Theodore glanced up at him quickly, eyes red and swollen from crying, before he tried to get his pants up with his hands still bound. He was trying to wiggle them up but he seemed uncoordinated, slow to move and finally Abruzzi made an impatient sound and shoved his hands away, pulling his pants up himself and buckling them closed. At the sound Theodore flinched and turned his head away like he was expecting a blow. 

John reached up to wrap a hand around the back of Theodore’s neck, making sure he had his attention but at the touch again he moved like he was seeking more. They were so close that Theodore tilted his head forward onto Abruzzi’s shoulder, pressing into him.

It made him soften his touch, again stroking his thumb, feeling Theodore’s body relax against him, no fight in him at all. He leaned close to talk against his ear. “I hope you understood this lesson Theodore.” The hand that wasn’t holding his neck went down to grab his dick over his pants, Tbag whining in something that sounded like fear, “We can do this again if we need to. But what happened here, what happened with us, you’re going to keep that between you and me. This is our little secret, understand Teddy?”

“Yes, daddy.” The words were murmured against his shoulder and as soon as they were out both men jumped, Tbag’s eyes flying up to meet Abruzzi and he wondered which of them looked more horrified. Theodore was pushing at him, trying to get him to move, and he took a few steps back, the shock at the words making him slow to respond. 

Theodore wouldn’t meet Abruzzi’s eyes and he was edging around the room, snarling at the floor, “This... I don’t... don’t touch me...”

He was almost to the door and even though John wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened, though he had an idea that made him feel sick, he couldn’t let him just leave. He took a few quick steps towards him to catch him, but it was unnecessary. As soon as Theodore realized he was heading for him he stopped, body slamming back against the wall as he tried to back away. John grabbed his shirt and Tbag whined, “Don’t hurt me, please. I won’t tell anyone.”

Yea, he didn’t doubt that. It wasn’t what he wanted though. He crowded him against the wall and watched the man give, and he wondered how long it would last. He had tapped into some trauma from Theodore’s past, and for the moment it gave him the upper hand. Using what he was sure had happened to the other man was low, but if it would bring him to heel he would. “Shhh.” He made sure his voice was soft, non-threatening, and like he expected Theodore leaned towards him like he couldn’t help it.

One of his hands went to Theodore’s hair, sliding around to the back and pulled him forward until he leaned into John, tilting his head against his shoulder again and John wrapped the other arm around him so he was holding him. Tbag melted against him, huddling in his arms and he made soothing sounds. “You’re okay. You just need to listen to what I say, understand Teddy?” There was no verbal confirmation but he did nod and that was good enough. He held him for a moment longer before he backed up, dropping his hands. Theodore whined at that, moving like he was trying to follow the touch before he snapped back to himself, pressing against the wall and sulking. Abruzzi gave him a grin and grabbed the bound hands, undoing the knots and then dropped the man’s hands, watching him rub at his wrists.

“Let’s go.”

He waited for Theodore to go before him, his men standing guard outside the door, smirking. Tbag didn’t wait for him to say anything else, no snark, no smart words or threats and then he was off towards the cafeteria. He wasn’t sure if it would continue, if he had really broken the other man, but he supposed he would find out when they went to PI.


	3. Control and Protection

“I’ll get watch.”

Tbag was nearly to the door when Tweener moved in front of him, halting his progress. It got everyone's attention as they watched and the kid seemed to have gained a lot of cockiness for someone that 2 days earlier was going to be Theodore’s new pocket holder. “Why do you get watch, why don’t you have to dig? You don’t even do a good job of it.”

“Move.” Tbag sounded disinterested and stepped around him when Tweener grabbed his arm. 

Even from across the room John could see every muscle in Tbag’s body tense, his hand hovering over his midsection where he was sure there was a shiv stashed and he was moving forward before he thought about it. He had told Michael he would keep him in line and he would. He must have caught Abruzzi coming towards him from the corner of his eye and Tbag couldn’t stop a cringe back, even though it made Tweener smirk, probably thinking he was the one to do it.

This wouldn’t do. Not that he minded watching the man have to kowtow to the little punk, but Tbag wasn’t an animal that took well to submission, at least not if it wasn’t earned, and if they kept at it he would snap no matter what anyone did. Theodore had been hanging back, keeping his mouth shut, doing everything that John had asked of him, there was no reason to antagonize him. At the last second he changed what he was going to do and shoved Tweener back hard into the wall, following up behind him until he was in his face. “How about you shut your mouth and dig because not a single person here gives a fuck what you think. Every time your mouth opens you get a little closer to being a body, understand?”

Tweener paled and scurried away back into the shed, grabbing tools and hovering somewhere behind Michael and that made his lip curl. Michael wasn’t safety boy, not forever. Sure that the boy was taken care of he turned back to Tbag who was doing his very best to look casual but he could see it in his eyes. He reached out to grab his shoulder, one quick squeeze before he tilted his head towards the door, “Watch. Please. And the guards, Theodore, not the tail.”

He looked up until he met John’s eyes, looking for something, before he glanced at the rest of them. He leaned against the doorframe and threw a wink at Michael, “S’fine with me Johnny boy, I’m saving myself for Pretty anyways.” He was out of the room before Michael could even finish making the indignant sound he _still_ made even after all this time and John rolled his eyes. Across the room he found Linc watching him and they shared a look, because if anything Sink understood. He would take watch himself but he couldn’t trust them not to try to kill each other while he wasn’t keeping an eye on them. Like a bunch of children.

God help them all.

John was sure whatever had happened with him and Tbag, whatever deep seated issue he’d tapped in to must have faded because the rest of the day the man acted every bit the cocky hillbilly that he always was. He hit on the new fish, rough housed with his men, and antagonized Michael whenever he could. Though he did keep a wide berth from Tweener, so at least that part of the lesson had stuck. The other stuff though… he was surprised to realize he was disappointed. His hand clenched as he thought about the man curling into him, desperate for touch and affection, and he couldn't explain how he felt about that not happening again. About not having that again.

He watched his cell after they were locked down for the night. Tbag paced it like a caged animal, they still hadn’t given him a new cellie after Cherry, and he could see it was wearing on the other man. Tbag moved to the bars, arms through the slats, chin resting on it, one leg squeezed through so his foot was in the middle aisle, like he was trying to escape his cell. For the first time John wondered if it had less to do with sex and more to do with being lonely because Tbag was never alone. Surrounded by his men, up until recently someone literally hanging off his pocket and the man never shut up. Tbag’s eyes rose up to his and John moved up to the bars, intent on staring him down. 

It wasn’t necessary though, as their eyes met Tbag looked away and backed up into his cell, dropping down onto his bunk and now John could only just make out where he was. He watched him for a while, until the man stopped fidgeting and tossing and turning and with a sigh he turned back to his own cell. He didn’t feel like sleeping, but what else was there to do?

He didn’t know how long he had been asleep, somewhere dazed between dreams and awake, when he heard a very distinctive whimpering sound filling the block. At first he assumed it was someone whose cellmate was getting acquainted with him, but laying there in the dark he realized he recognized that whimper, he had heard it enough. He had caused it enough.

At the bars he strained to look down at Tbag’s cell and could see the man thrashing on the small bunk, and he realized he was sleeping. Maybe having a nightmare. The sounds were louder, small cries and whimpers, and he didn’t know why he felt the need to wake the other man up. To do something before everyone around them heard him. A quick glance around told him that it must be far enough into the night that everyone seemed to be asleep, though he was sure that it wasn’t everyone.

He couldn’t yell down to him, they were too far. The thrashing was getting worse, like he was fighting against someone and there was a whimpered, “Daddy, please don’t” that ended with a violent enough struggle that the man fell out of the bunk, spilling to the floor in a heap of blankets and tangled limbs. John gripped the bars hard, willing Tbag to look up at him. The man was clearly confused, reaching out to touch the edge of the bunk, head tilted as he swiped at his face with his arm. The moment that Theodore must have realized where he was, that he’d had a nightmare, his body hunched in on itself and he was looking around.

Almost immediately his eyes went up to John and stayed there. John put his hand out palm down and made a calming motion, and they stared at each other until Theodore’s breathing had evened out and with a final look to John that he wasn’t quite sure what it meant, Tbag backed into the darkness at the back of his cell, probably hiding to lick his wounds. He didn’t see him get back in either bunk and he could only imagine the man curled up in the back of his cell, trying to escape the kind of ghosts that you couldn’t get rid of with a shiv.

He glanced back at his own empty cell, he hadn’t gotten a new cellie since he put a light bulb through his last one’s eye. Maybe it was time to rectify the situation, he’d talk to Tbag the next day. This way they could… keep an eye on each other a little better. 

“You must be out of your mind.” Tbag didn’t even look at him, staring ahead at the yard as his men surrounded him on the bleachers, just far enough away that John and him could have a private conversation.

“I think it would be best to make sure that neither of us are… doing anything underhanded.”

Tbag was already shaking his head, digging his toe into the bleacher, but he wouldn't look over to meet his eyes. “I’m not looking to shack up Johnny Boy, I-”

John moved closer, leaning in to whisper to him, and didn’t miss that Theodore pulled in smaller, “You keep having nightmares like last night and they are gonna cart you off to psych.” Tbag’s head tilted slightly towards him and he could see the frown and he pushed, “People whimpering daddy, no in the middle of the night raises a few red flags, don’t you think?”

“I didn’t… It won’t happen again.” John turned his body towards Tbag, leaning over him, and knew that to every convict in the yard it sent a clear message. 

“I wasn’t really asking Teddy.” He dropped one hand onto Tbag’s thigh, his body mostly shielding the movement from those that were watching and he was ashamed at how delighted he was when instead of pulling away, instead of being afraid, the man leaned in closer to him. Maybe whatever had happened hadn’t faded away after all. 

Tbag’s head tilted down slightly and his voice was barely a mutter, “I’m not gonna be your pocket holder John.”

“I don’t have anyone hold my pocket.”

Tbag glanced up, a spark of annoyance in his eyes, “You know what I mean.”

John tried not to smile at that, but he couldn’t help a small twitch of his lips. “I’m not suggesting that Theodore, I’m suggesting that sharing a cell could be beneficial for planning.”

On a whim he let go of his thigh, his hand moving to Theodore’s back, open palmed over the small of his back, before stroking up to rest on his neck. He had a moment to enjoy the other man leaning in to him, eyes closed before they snapped open and he jerked away.

“I think we’re fine just where we are John.” The words were jerky and he pushed to his feet and away from the bleachers, snapping at his men when they were slow to follow. They looked confused, the bleachers were theirs and they seemed unsure about leaving them to John.

He had pushed too hard, he knew that, but he didn’t think it was a lost cause. It was possible he had misjudged Theodore, maybe he should give him more credit. Or more incentive. Once he had watched the man fully retreat to the other side of the yard he got up and headed back to his own table. He sat down and nodded at one of the men. “I need you to get your hands on a file for me.”

“A file?”

He watched Theodore huddling against the fence, and knew that the look on his face wasn’t nice. “A psych file.” 

Abruzzi’s men worked fast. He was late getting to PI, taking the time to look through the paper they had given him and he could only shake his head before he folded it and shoved it in his pocket. He nodded to the bull near PI and the first thing he realized when he got close was that no one was on watch. 

His instincts kicked in, sure that something was wrong, and he hurried into the shed. What he came in to wasn’t exactly surprising, but it was disappointing. Like he had thought, a bunch of children.

Sink had Tbag by the collar of his shirt, thrown over the table on his back with Michael over his shoulder and everyone else against the wall watching. He could see that Theodore’s face was bloody, one eye already swelling up and he made a point of slamming the door. Everyone startled, and Theodore’s eyes found him, wild and panicked. He didn’t expect the surge of protectiveness and he was moving forward before he thought better of it. 

Linc stepped away when he got close to them, pushing Michael back, and John reached out to grab Theodore’s shirt and pull him to his feet, shoving him behind him. Not unlike the way Linc was guarding Michael. “What the hell is going on? No one is watching the door.”

Michael looked enraged and was trying to get around Linc, maybe to tell John what Tbag had done, but Linc was keeping him backed up. Behind him Theodore was close enough that he could feel his body heat and he reached back to grab his arm and give him a push towards the door, “Go watch the door.”

“Hey, I didn’t-”

“Now.”

At the snapped word Tbag ducked his head, wiping his sleeve across his face to wipe off the blood. Once he was out the door John closed his eyes for a moment before he could handle this. “What happened?”

Linc shrugged, “He just got in Michael’s face. You’re supposed to be controlling him.”

Abruzzi intentionally moved around Linc until he was face to face with Michael, “You’re going to lose your chance to save your brother’s life, your _one_ chance because you can’t handle a little shit talking from one mouthy redneck?”

Finally Michael looked contrite and glanced away and John nodded. “Alright, then let’s get to work and try not to draw attention to ourselves.”

They got to work and Abruzzi stood near the door, glancing the way Tbag had gone, planning on going to check up on him when Linc approached him. He tilted his head the way Theodore had gone, “You keeping him in line or protecting him?”

“Both.”

Linc nodded, and there was no judgment, no more questions, he just went back to work. John could see him speaking low to Michael, hopefully telling him to back off because he knew what stating that he was protecting him meant. Tweener was at his elbow suddenly, mouth open like he was going to say something but just a glare from Abruzzi sent him scurrying and sure that everyone was working he stepped outside to check on Theodore.

The man was leaning against the wall, hat pulled low over his eyes, and it was clear that he was watching the guards and not the yard. He didn’t react when Abruzzi leaned next to him, though he was sure he knew the moment he had come out. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

Abruzzi tried to eye him but with his hat pulled down like that he couldn’t really see the damage. He looked around to make sure that he wouldn’t attract the attention of any guards before he reached over to grab the man’s chin and lift it up so he could see his face.

Though he tensed he didn’t fight him, and besides his swollen eye his lip was split open. John swiped at the blood with his thumb, frowning, before he let him go. “What happened?”

“College boy is a little over sensitive.”

“No permanent injuries?”

Tbag chuckled and kicked against the wall, “I can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’, you should know that Johnny Boy.”

He nodded, because that was true. Theodore’s tolerance for pain was high, and he had watched him grin through a broken jaw before, which was quite a feat. So he nodded and reached out to pat the man’s thigh before he pushed away from the wall. “Meet me at that closet before lunch.”

“What?”

He didn’t stick around to answer the question, Tbag knew what he was talking about and he trusted that he would show up there.

“None of your men today, John?”

Tbag was leaning against the wall by the closet, staring at the ground, not even looking up when Abruzzi moved into his space. John glanced around to make sure there was no one around before he grabbed his arm and yanked the door open, shoving him in the room. “Guess I didn’t need them.”

Tbag gave him that look, the one that was part enraged, part indignant, but he only nudged him back until he was touching the table. Tbag looked down at it and back up, and his face was set. “If you think we are doing that again John, you are mistaken.”

He didn’t let the words sway him as he moved forward, boxing Theodore in against the table, standing just far enough off that they weren’t touching. Tbag looked nervous, glancing up at him, this close he had to tilt his head up and Abruzzi liked feeling so big. Liked Theodore seeming so small. Slowly he put his hands out until they rested on the table on either side of his hips, the minute shifting of those hips making him smirk. 

“John.” A dark warning had slipped into the words, but Abruzzi didn’t care.

“Quiet.” He leaned forward until their chests were touching and he used his nose to press against the bottom of Tbag’s jaw, and though he tensed at first finally he gave in and tilted his head back, showing his throat. The symbolic submission wasn’t lost on him, and he moved his hands closer until they were touching Tbag, turning them to cup the sides of his hips, holding him still.

It felt like Theodore was about to say something but Abruzzi abruptly grabbed the shoulder of his shirt and pulled it, exposing a long expanse of bare neck and before the man could do anything about it he bit down, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to _mark_ the other man.

Tbag made a surprised sound, hands coming up to press against John’s chest but he only had to bite down harder to get the man to acquiesce, dropping his hands. John’s hands went back to Tbag’s hips, holding them pressed back against the table as he bit down until he knew there would be a mark, and only then did he pull back. Theodore looked a little dazed, but the hard cock pressing against his thigh said that the man was into it. He rubbed his thigh against the erection and Tbag’s eyes closed, breath coming out in a huffy little pant.

“That’s it, come on Teddy.” He pulled his hips forward, and it only took a few times of doing the motion until Tbag was doing it on his own, a slow grind of his cock against John’s thigh. “You know you want it.”

“Screw off John.” The words didn’t have much bite to them, not when his head had fallen forward onto John’s shoulder and he was steadily rutting against him. 

“You’re lucky I was there today, to protect you from Sink.”

TBag’s body froze and he muttered, “I don’t need anyone to protect me.”

“Sure you do.” He didn’t give him time to think about it, just reached down to undo the button on his pants, pulling down the zipper. Theodore’s hands twitched against him like he was going to stop him but he stayed where he was.

Abruzzi slipped his hand down the man’s pants, shoving them down his hips as he pulled out the man’s cock, hand slipping over it almost too roughly. Tbag moaned, dropping his hands back to grab the table to balance himself, thrusting in to Abruzzi’s hand.

Theodore gave it up so easy, so quick now, and he realized he had him. The smaller man was still fighting on the outside, still saying what he was supposed to but he had him. His own cock was hard and he reached down with the hand that wasn’t stroking Theodore and undid his own pants, finally letting go of Tbag completely to get them pushed down to his thighs.

Theodore whined at the sudden lack of touching and opened his eyes to look up at John. He met his eyes and kept his voice sweet, “Come on Teddy, be a good boy for me.” As he said it he put his hands on his shoulders and gave him a very direct push _down_.

Tbag glanced down at the man’s cock before he looked back up and tried to lean in to Abruzzi, trying to kiss him. He turned his head though, Tbag’s whine of disappointment making his cock twitch and pressed a kiss to the side of his jaw before giving him another shove down.

Until he was sinking to his knees John wasn’t sure the man was going to do it, and there was no preamble as Tbag leaned forward, licking the tip of his cock before wrapping his mouth around it, sucking hard.

John grabbed the table to steady himself, surprised at how good it felt, how good Tbag was at it, and there was no way he had never done it before. He dropped one hand to the back of his head, tangling in his hair, and didn’t have the urge to thrust down his throat until Tbag tensed at the hold. He didn’t though. His hips made small thrusts but mostly he let the smaller man do what he was, since he had a pretty good handle on it. He made a content hum in his throat, carding his fingers through Theodore’s hair, enjoying that he had someone so powerful, someone that carried so much clout, on his knees. 

Close to cumming he tugged harder on his hair, pressing his hips further in, making the man gag but he recovered quickly, trying to breathe through the thrusts. “Gonna cum.”

He expected Tbag to pull off him but he only sucked him down more, lapping with his tongue and when he came he almost forgot to muffle the sound in his arm, holding Theodore’s head down on him as he came down his throat, keeping him there even as he started to whine and to struggle, only letting him up when the aftershocks stopped.

“Oh fuck.” He used his hold to force the man’s head up, to meet his eyes, “Who knew you would be such a talented cock sucker.”

Tbag looked like he was going to get worked up at that, and how someone could look like they were going to murder him as they wiped his cum off their mouth he wasn’t sure, but Theodore nailed it. He grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet, spinning him before he could whine or complain and bent him over the table. 

“Hey!”

He reached around him to grab his cock, stroking him hard and fast, swiping over the precum on the tip to slick his hand, and didn’t miss the fact that blowing him seemed to have worked to make Tbag harder, to turn him on. He pressed Tbag’s pants down farther to his knees, watching the man try to spread his legs more and leaned over him. It pressed his spent cock against Theodore’s ass, rubbing against him as he jacked him off.

He scrambled in his pocket for the slick, not that he had actually planned on fucking the man again, but better to be prepared. He let go of Theodore’s cock to squirt some in his palm, going back to jacking him off with the lube and a long appreciative moan came from Tbag, body going pliant over the table. He held the packet with his teeth and squeezed out some more on his other hand and then pressed a finger to Tbag’s ass, circling his hole with a finger.

Tbag tried to scramble away, tried to get up, but he leaned down on him with an elbow to his back before biting at the back of his neck, and then just under his ear, still stroking his cock in a steady rhythm. “Settle Teddy, I’m not going to hurt you.” When the man still struggled he sighed and grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head down against the table, just hard enough to daze him a little and his voice was a growl. “I can if you’d prefer though.”

“No.” He whimpered the word and despite the violence the cock in John’s hand was still hard and he grinned. It wasn’t really surprising that Theodore liked a little pain with his sex, and he knew already that he responded to dominance, it was a natural progression.

When he slid his fingers back to his hole Tbag didn’t protest, didn’t pull away, and when he pressed in two fingers there wasn’t much resistance, the man keeping his body relaxed. “Yea, there we go. That’s a good boy, Teddy.” He didn’t screw around, thrusting his fingers in and out, slamming them against the man’s prostate until he was writhing on the table, whimpering where he had buried his head into his arms.

John slowed the hand jacking him off just a bit and when he thrust his fingers in he stopped just short of slamming into the man’s prostate, pulling out and doing the same again and again. The fourth time his fingers slid in Theodore shoved backwards, trying to get him to hit his prostate against before shoving forward in his hand, and it was all it took to have the man fucking himself on Abruzzi’s fingers, panting, small moans and cries making it past the sleeve of his shirt. 

“Close.” He barely recognized Theodore’s voice and twisted his wrist, sliding his thumb over the head of his cock, his fingers slamming into his prostate over and over until he was cumming, crying out, his ass clenching around John’s fingers. 

He stroked him until he was twitching, and even then slid his fingers in and out of his ass a few more times, pressing against that spot inside just to hear him make those little sounds, somewhere beyond pleasure, almost pain, before he finally slid them all the way out, spreading his hand over the small of his back and rubbing it soothingly while he pulled up his pants with his other hand, buttoning them.

“I hate you.”

Abruzzi only laughed and wrapped an arm around his chest, pulling him upright before reaching down to pull up his pants, doing them up for him, slapping away his hands when he tried to do it himself. He wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him back against his chest, leaning his chin on his shoulder. “No you don’t. You’re just angry you came like a champ from my fingers up your ass.”

“I’m not your bitch, John.”

“I don’t want you to be.”

Theodore relaxed against John’s chest, the tension that always _always_ ran through him when you had to be on the top of your game in Fox River, when you had to fight to keep your spot at the top of the food chain, easing away. Being weak like that though, that was how people were killed. He couldn’t let down his guard like that, couldn’t allow himself to feel safe anywhere.

He pushed away, fixing his pants even though they were already done up and wouldn’t meet John’s eyes, “I don’t need you to protect me. This... don’t touch me again John. Understand?”

“We’ll see Theodore, we’ll see.” Tbag shot him a look full of uncertainty, tinged with fear and slunk out of the room. His body was still ringing from the blow job, and he nodded to himself. He had the checkmate move in the form of the paper folded in his pocket and he planned on using it. 


	4. I Absolutely Believe Tbag Sucks His Thumb

“What do you want John?”

He entered Tbag’s cell without waiting for an invite, without the man telling him it was okay and only the side glance told him he noticed. He leaned against the wall across from the bunk and pulled the paper in his pocket out, making a show of unfolding it.

“Let’s see.” He made like he was reading the paper, like he hadn’t already read it 100 times, like he couldn’t recite it from memory. “Violent tendencies. Poor social boundaries. Language development issues… looks like maybe a stutter. Oh, there is a note though. Looks like the stutter was gone after a few months in juvie.”

Theodore had been casually listening to him, leaning on the bars as he looked up at Michael’s cell but his head snapped around. “What do you have, John.”

Abruzzi shrugged, staying casual. “Shrink seems to think the stutter was a result of being around an abusive parent. Hmm. Inappropriate sexual behavior with other boys, perhaps caused by early childhood sexual abuse,” by the time he finished the sentence Tbag was in his face, and he managed to get out, “And bed wetting -” before Theodore was snatching for the paper.

He lifted it up over his head, though it didn’t stop Tbag from trying to go for it. On his tip toes, leaning against John to get leverage but he was just too short to reach it. One of his hands dropped to his waist and Abruzzi tensed expecting a shiv but then the hand dropped away and Theodore was so close to his face that he could smell his toothpaste. “I never wet the bed.”

If it had been under other circumstances he might have laughed at what the man decided to take issue with out of everything he said but instead he just moved, pushing the man back a little. “Not what the psych evaluation says.”

“Give me that.”

Abruzzi glanced at it in his hand, like he was getting more information off it. “It says you talked about what your daddy did once, and then after that denied it ever happened. Did someone convince you to lie, or did you not like what the shrink said about it?”

A growl was ripped from Theodore’s throat and he shoved into Abruzzi’s space, and it always amused him that for such a little guy he flew into fights with his whole body, completely unafraid. “Give me that.”

“There’s a transcript in here you know. Of what you did tell them that first time.” 

John made sure he had Tbag’s eyes when he said it and he watched them change, anger to fear, and then he was scrambling to get the paper again, practically climbing up John to reach it. He finally gave in and let him get his hands on it.

Tbag snatched it and turned away, holding it in both hands and when John reached out to grab him around the waist and pull him back against his chest, holding him there, he barely seemed to notice. Oh, everyone else on the block did though and he splayed his hand out over Theodore’s stomach, a blatantly possessive gesture. Theodore was starting to shake as his eyes scanned over the paper, like an imminent breakdown was going to happen and he finally whimpered out, “Who else read this?”

“Just me.” The shaking was getting worse and the paper was crumpled from being held so tight. The small body was pressing back against him now, not simply held there, seeking comfort and just as John had planned the call for lock up came through. 

Quickly he disentangled himself from Theodore, watching the confusion slide over his face at where John was going but he just shrugged, “Lock up Teddy, see you in the morning.”

He didn’t look back as he headed up to his cell, and even after he reached it he didn’t look down. He had the man right where he wanted him. On the edge of a breakdown, desperately looking for affection, and alone. He didn’t feel good about it exactly, but he wanted them to share a cell and for that he needed Theodore to want that too. To need it.

An hour into lockdown he finally went to look, and he could see Theodore on his bunk with his knees pulled up, head tucked against them, and covering the floor of his cell was itty bitty pieces of paper too small to say anything anymore.

The whimpering didn’t wake him because he was waiting for it, watching the cell and he could see the minute the man started to struggle. Kicking his feet, his hands moving up to cover his face. He glanced at the hack by the gate, and found him watching Tbag’s cell as well, head tilted curiously. When the sound got louder, the hack took a few steps closer, and then suddenly a gut wrenching scream filled the cell block.

The hack ran towards the cell, and Abruzzi wasn’t sure what he thought he was going to find there but it seemed to piss him off when all he found was a disoriented and half asleep Tbag, sitting up in the bed with his eyes darting around. The hack slammed his baton against the bars, making Theodore flinch and huddle back.

“Shut the fuck up Tbag! I’m not going to listen to you cry all fucking night!”

Abruzzi assumed the scream had startled him, because it wasn’t a hack that usually had a temper, and he wasn’t the only one whose attention had been caught. The scream had been enough to wake up a few convicts, shouting through the cell block, trying to figure out what had happened.

Finally Abruzzi roared out, “Go to fucking SLEEP.” And everyone quieted down. His eyes were for Theodore though, staring at up him looking lost and broken. He raised his eyebrow in question, sure the man would understand. Finally Theodore nodded, shoulders slumping. John rested his chin on his hand where he held the bar, and gave him a warm smile, mouthing ‘go to sleep’ at him. Theodore watched him for a moment longer before he nodded, curling back up on his bed and Abruzzi made a content sound. It was good to win.

They had been waiting on his word and before morning count there was a bull at his cell, opening it up and having him gather his stuff. He was sure that Tbag thought he was going to move him to his cell, but besides that the man would take it better if he got to stay on his turf, it gave them both a view of Michael’s cell, and he wouldn’t mind being able to keep a better eye on the man. 

It was early, and around him most inmates were still sleeping, and when they came up to Tbag’s cell he was curled up on the bottom bunk, one arm wrapped around a pillow tucked against his chest like a stuffed animal and sucking his thumb. If he wasn’t a serial killer it might have been cute. It still kind of was. Abruzzi glanced at the bull and shook his head and held his finger up to his mouth, “Not a word to anyone.”

The bull nodded and the gate opened. The sound of it roused Tbag and he looked away as the man woke up, let him get himself settled before he turned back, dropping his stuff on the top bunk. Theodore was looking at him with wide eyes, clearly confused and he couldn’t help but grin at the look. “No welcome home?”

“What’s going on?”

Abruzzi got to fixing his bed and ignored the man, who stayed curled up on the bottom bunk and he could just see the man darting his eyes out of the cell and back to Abruzzi, trying to wake up and figure out what had happened at the same time.

“We’re cellmates. Should be obvious even to you, Theodore.”

Finally he caught on and pushed to his feet, moving so his back was to the bars and kicked at the paper on the ground. John glanced down at it and without looking at him asked, “Why did you deny it after you’d already told them once?”

He wasn’t sure he expected an answer and after a length of silence Theodore spoke up, though his voice was quiet. Resigned. “Because I’m nobody’s victim, John. Not then. Not now.”

“Good.” He finished getting his bed together and turned to face him, “How many special friends do you think you’ve had through here Theodore?”

He shrugged, “Not sure.” He rubbed the back of his head and the words slipped out and he couldn’t help the emotion in them, “It had been Maytag for a while.”

John didn’t miss the way the man’s voice dipped down, the way there was still pain in it, and he was avoiding his eyes. He tried to think back how long Maytag had been holding on to Theodore’s pocket, it had to have been at least a year or two. The two of them pressed together, Tbag leaning over to whisper to him, Maytag at his back with that cocky sneer had been a constant in Fox River. “You miss him?”

“Course not. He was just another... uh...”

John watched Tbag’s hand drop to his pocket, fingers subconsciously rubbing it, betraying what he was saying. He glanced up at the other cells. “You know Michael didn’t kill him.”

“Yea, I know.” Abruptly he dropped his pocket like he had just realized he was doing it and crossed his arms, “Even if no one had told me, after spending time with Pretty he’s no killer.”

“No, he isn’t.” He moved forward until he was crowding Tbag against the bars, grabbing them on either side of the man’s head and leaning in until they were touching. There was a twinge of something that felt like jealousy at Theodore’s reaction to talking about Maytag, but he refused to accept that. Theodore looked up at him, nervously licking his lips, unsure about what was happening.

There was a few directions he could take it, especially as he caught a glimpse of the bite mark peeking out from Tbag’s shirt, but finally he just grinned at him and lowered his voice, “You always sucked your thumb?”

He had planned to rile him up, break up the tension that he was feeling, but Theodore only grinned at him and his words came out smooth, “You’ve seen how I can suck John, what do you think?”

The memory of that mouth around his cock made him grunt, grinding against Tbag, pressing him against the bars now. Theodore smirked at that and tilted his head at John, “Wanna give me some space John? Unless you’re planning on hanging a sheet...”

Abruzzi took a step back without meaning too, annoyed that it had backfired when he caught the nervous dart of Theodore’s eyes out of the cell to see if anyone was watching and he knew what the man was doing. He settled back to where he was, aware that the block was waking up and if he didn’t want to make a serious scene he was going to have to move soon. But not before he got a handle on the situation. He leaned close to his ear, “Always an opportunist, aren’t you Bagwell? Maybe we should hang a sheet.”

John dropped one hand from the bars to Theodore’s hip. Tbag shifted and frowned, pulling away from the touch as much as he could. That was what he thought, “What’s wrong? You were just trying to seduce me, weren’t you Teddy?” His fingers stroked over his hip, thumb sliding under the waistband.

“John.” He liked the whine in Teddy’s voice, though he liked even more that Theodore was pushing his hips into his now.

He let go of the bars with his other hand and grabbed Teddy’s jaw, thumb over his lips. He hadn’t meant to force anything, didn’t plan on bringing everything to a point _right now_ but he tapped his thumb against Theodore’s lips, putting the slightest bit of pressure and waited to see what the man would do. He got a glare in return, but his body was pliant against his and John figured he just needed a little push. 

Leaning close he murmured, “Come on Teddy, be a good boy.” It did what it was supposed to and he opened his mouth, letting John press his thumb in against his tongue, hesitantly sucking on the digit. They were pressed so close together it was impossible for Theodore to not notice the effect it had on him and the smaller man moaned, hips rocking against Abruzzi’s. It was a lot of faith to have in him, Tbag couldn’t see if anyone was watching, what was happening outside the bars, and John glanced up to find Sucre and Michael watching them. Not that it mattered.

He pulled his hand away, giving Tbag a soft pat on the cheek and used his hand on his hip to hold the man still. “Settle Teddy, everyone is waking up. Time to get your game face on.” John started to move away but Teddy caught his hand before he let go of his hip, pressing his hand down until it slid over his crotch, make a small mewling sound when John grinned at him and rubbed his hand over the erection he felt there. “We don’t have the time or the privacy for this, Theodore.” He had meant to say it mocking, but it came out affectionate and his fingers were still moving over him, trying to get that sound again.

“Count!”

At the bull’s yell Tbag startled and his body slammed against the bars, nowhere else to go, and there was a ringing up and down the block. If they hadn’t had any attention before, they sure as hell had all of it now. John dropped his hand and moved away, but not before most of the block surely had seen him have Theodore pinned against the bars. Not exactly what he had intended to do. Theodore kept his back to the block, trying to get under control and only moved once the bars were opening. He met Abruzzi’s eyes for a long time until he was forced to turn and step out with everyone else. He did it as cocky as he always did, standing on the line with his hip cocked, looking like he didn’t give a fuck about anything and John followed him out, intentionally standing on the other side of the gate, not wanting to crowd him.

He kept a wary eye on the man, not entirely sure how he was going to react. Theodore was a bit of a wild card. The guard stopped in front of their cell and glanced in it before making a hand motion at the paper all over the floor, “What the hell happened there?”

Tbag glanced at it before he looked back at the bull, “Confetti, boss. A little cell warming party for my new cellie.”

“Get it cleaned up Bagwell.” 

He nodded with a small grin on his face, stepping back to the cell to kick at the paper but that was it. Abruzzi kept his distance from the man, even though what he really wanted to do was touch him, and sighed as he leaned against the bunks. After a few minutes he took a step towards him and Teddy whipped his head to look at him, chin tilted down but everything about him just daring John to touch him. He put his hands up, and stepped back, giving him space. Maybe this was going to be more complicated than he thought.


	5. Say It

Heading to PI Theodore stuck to his right hand side, head down and distracted, his movements jerky instead of the fluid cat like ones he normally moved with. John split his time between glancing at him and glaring down anyone that looked like they were going to talk to him. Michael was talking and he turned his attention to him, though he was aware of C-Note moving up to the other side of Theodore and he was sure that wasn’t going to go well.

Tbag was clearly aware of it, he could see the man’s shoulders tense and John moved closer to him, trying not to look like he was being protective, while he definitely was. C-note didn’t say anything though, just moved beside them until they reached the shed and John had just started to relax when he spoke up.

“Tbag, shouldn’t you be like... holding his pocket? Some shit like that?”

It was a pivotal moment because what he wanted to do was shove Theodore behind him and punch C-note in the face, but it would send a pretty strong message, one that he was sure the smaller man didn’t want sent. Tbag bristled instantly, like an angry cat, turning towards C-note, “You want to start something?”

C-note chuckled, and his casualness was clearly pissing Tbag off, “Nah, I don’t want to get into it with Abruzzi.”

Tbag moved until he was in his face and C-note pushed him back with one hand and Tbag threw himself back at him, slamming in to him with his whole body, already going for the shiv at his waist. “You’re gonna have to get in to it with _me_ , boy _._ ”

Before it got any further Sink grabbed Tbag by the upper arm, dragging him away from C-note and into the shed, leaving everyone with little choice but to follow him. Inside he shoved Theodore away and turned to jab C-note in the chest. “Whatever shit you have between each other just stuff it. We don’t have time for this shit.” He didn’t dwell on it, heading with Michael to get the tools out, leaving C-note and Theodore glaring at each other.

Though anything he did at this point was going to make Tbag angry he moved up next to him, and leaned close, “Leave it, Teddy. We have work to do.”

He glanced away from C-note at John’s face, frustrated and angry, before he looked back to C-note. The smug look on the man’s face making his entire body tense up again and John reached out to wrap fingers around his wrist, not restraining him, but making his presence know. 

It wasn’t really surprising when it didn’t faze Theodore and he started to move forward to face off with C-note, dead set on wiping the smirk off his face. John hadn’t wanted to do it, but he didn’t want Theodore fighting, and they couldn’t afford someone getting shivved. His fingers tightened quick, a bruising grip and Theodore was yanked backwards, spun around to face him.

They stared at each other before Theodore curled his lip, twitching in anger, but jerked his hand away and stalked off the way Sink had gone. John watched him go, and then turned his gaze to C-note. The man was taunting Tbag about John protecting him to rile him up, but it didn’t make it any less true. He had the pleasure of watching the smirk slide off C-note’s face, and he knew his grin wasn’t nice. “Let’s keep our eyes on the prize, Benjamin.” He took a few steps closer, aware of Sucre and Tweener watching from the sidelines, “You keep fucking with him and you’ll have to deal with me. Got it?”

C-note nodded, he wasn’t dumb, and took a step back. “Yea, I got it.”

He glanced at the other two men and raised an eyebrow, “Do I even have to say it?” There were head shakes and he turned, going to find where Theodore had gone, hopefully to try to calm him down. 

He found him nearly breathing down Michael’s neck, standing over his shoulder as he looked at some piece of paper, pushing so aggressively into his space that Linc was standing guard on the other side of the table, glaring the man down. Michael didn’t seem to notice or care at all which was unusual, but that wasn’t the issue. And okay, John got it. Theodore needed to prove his alphaness, and Michael was a safe enough target. Linc looked up when he entered the room, and gave a pointed look towards Tbag.

John grimaced, sure that doing anything to the man would end in blood and he wasn’t even sure whose. He moved next to Linc, leaving the table in between them, and spoke, “Theodore, you get first shift digging.”

Eyes darted up to his and over to Linc and he shook his head, “I got first yesterday.”

“I’m saying you get it today, too.”

During the interaction Michael seemed to finally catch on to the tension, and realized how close Tbag was, or at least finally decided to acknowledge it. He turned his head towards him, waiting to catch his eyes, and spoke quiet, “Back up, please.”

The please seemed to mollify the man and he did step back and Michael nodded, “Thank you.”

It left Tbag not sure what to do and Linc nodded towards the other room, “Digging.”

John grabbed the paint off the table and headed back, “We need to paint today too. Take your pick Theodore.” There, let him decide. That should help make up for making him submit. A little at least.

Tbag’s mouth twisted and he turned towards the room, yelling out, “Tweener, get your sweet cherry ass in that hole and dig!”

John rolled his eyes and followed him, coming up directly behind him in the doorway and leaning down to whisper, “I don’t want you to start with C-note, got it?”

“Sure thing, _boss_.” Tbag twisted his head to the side to look at him and John could see the tension, the anxiety written all over the other man. All he had was his prison rep and John had seriously hurt it, and mostly likely would continue too. “If he starts with me though...”

“He won’t.”

For a second he was confused but then he realized and he glanced at the other 3 men in the room, Tweener was getting to work but Sucre and C-note were both watching him. He turned to fully face John, tilting his chin up defiantly, “I told you I don’t need you to protect me.”

John stepped closer and spoke low for just Tbag’s ears, “Back down and get ready to work or I’m going to force something that you’re not going to like, _got it_?”

“John-” No more threat in his voice, just begging, but John cut him off.

“In a week we will be out of here and nobody’s reputation will matter. So not starting shit here is more important than you saving face. Do it now Teddy, or it will be much worse.”

Tbag’s eyes darted back and forth across his face, trying to read him, before his shoulders slumped and he crossed his arms, looking away. John nodded and gave him a nudge and he moved to the opposite side of the room from the others, leaning against the wall and staring down at the floor, kicking at a piece of rock.

John dropped the paint and gave the two other men a grin, “Come on boys, get a move on, we have a lot to do.”

Eventually everyone got to work and Tbag pushed off the wall, grabbing a paint roller without being asked to, though he made a point to stay as far away from John as he could, finally settling on a spot next to Sucre. It did seem like the person least likely to start with him and John nodded, sure that at least for a few minutes things were settled.

It wasn’t the end of it though, if C-Note was starting with him, then others would too, and the last thing he needed was for Theodore to end up in the hole. Which he probably would if he was pushed, and he wasn’t sure how to avoid that. After they left PI Theodore would go to his bleachers, surrounded by the Alliance and it would be nearly impossible to keep him from getting into a fight. 

The only way around it was to tell Theodore that he had to stay with him and not his men, and there was no chance of that happening. The other alternative. Well. He set down the roller in his hands and moved towards Tbag. Sucre noticed him first and the man moved quickly, getting out of the way, and he took his spot.

Theodore glanced sideways at him, but went back to painting, ignoring him. John touched the wall before he thought about it, making a face as he got paint on his hands, but quickly crowded the smaller man. “We need to talk.”

“I’m busy John.”

He darted his hand out and grabbed Theodore by the jaw, turning his head forcibly to face him, smearing paint across his cheek. “It wasn’t a request.”

Theodore threw the paint roller in his hands on the ground and shoved back against John with both hands, even though it pushed him back farther than it moved John. His hand was on his waist, at his shiv and he clearly wasn’t going to give in easy.

“Don’t do this Theodore.”

He went for the shiv without any more warning and everyone backed up as he lunged at John. He was ready for it, and deep down he didn’t think Tbag’s heart was really in it. He grabbed his arm as he lunged, twisting it and making him drop the shiv, before twisting the arm up behind his back, grabbing his hair with the other hand, yanking his head back hard.

Without giving him any time to get his bearings he was shoving him towards the back area, motioning at a startled Linc and Michael when he got there. “Clear out.”

“I was just-”

He slammed Tbag face first against the wall and barely spared Michael a glance, “Clear the fuck out.”

Linc grabbed his arm before he could complain, and dragged him out, kicking the door to the back area shut as he went, leaving the two men alone. He waited for a few seconds, putting all his weight into pinning the smaller man to the wall until he stopped struggling, panting, body tense. “Teddy, was this really necessary.”

“I’m not your bitch.” The words were desperate, broken and John softened his hand to pet his hair and let his arm go to wrap it around Theodore’s waist, holding him. He was shaking, his head tilted against the wall and John rested his chin on his shoulder. He had thought for sure that he was going to have to drag the man to the back room and force him to submit. That there would be fighting and blood, but now that it was just the two of them Theodore didn’t seem to want to fight at all.

“You aren’t, Theodore. You aren’t going to be. I’m not trying to make you be.”

He pulled back enough that he could turn Tbag around, his back to the wall, so he could see his face. It was hard not to smile at the paint smeared across Theodore’s cheek, and he reached up to brush at it but it had already dried. He waited until those eyes met his and Tbag licked his lips before talking, “Bullshit. You keep ordering me around.”

“I order everyone around.”

That was true and Theodore shifted his weight, frustrated because they both knew it was different. Instead of arguing he leaned back against the wall and looked away, “What did you want to talk about?”

He had almost forgotten why this all started and he pressed in closer, reaching out to grab both of Tbag’s wrist and press them against the wall, aware that he wasn’t going to like what he had to say. It was clear the man understood what he was doing too, his eyes coming up to John’s in a challenge. “If you end up in the hole, you won’t be able to escape with us. It is a simple concept.”

He tilted his head, not sure what John was talking about. “Is that all? No worries John, I don’t plan on getting thrown in the hole.”

“And what about when someone asks you about being my bitch?”

He fought against the hold on his wrists and was almost able to get them off the wall, but John was just bigger and he finally won the struggle, shoving them against the wall with a thunk that had to hurt. So Tbag snarled at him instead, “I’m _not_ your bitch.”

“We already went over this. And you proved my point. Are you going to keep your temper when someone out there says it to you?”

“I’ll kill them.”

“And you’ll end up in the hole. You aren’t dumb, come on.”

Tbag rubbed his jaw against his shoulder, a nervous gesture, but at least he looked like he was starting to think about it. Starting to see what John was saying. “Wouldn’t have this problem if you hadn’t let the whole block see you pinning me against the bars.”

Part of him wanted to point out the reason they had still been against the bars was because Theodore had been trying to get John to touch him more, but he was trying to calm the situation down, not rile it. “I didn’t mean to do that and you know it.”

Tbag pushed against his wrists again and John let them go without moving back, and Tbag rubbed them before glaring up at him, “Well what do you suggest John?”

He grimaced, he couldn’t help it, because it was going to be a hard sale. “Maybe between now and when we leave you just... stay by my side. All the time.”

Confusion filtered across his face as he tried to understand that and when he did his eyes widened and his mouth opened and John slammed his hand over it, voice serious. “Theodore, I swear to god, if the next words that come out of your mouth are ‘I’m not your bitch’ you will greatly regret it.”

He waited to make sure the man understood he was serious, until he got a nod in return, before he removed his hand. Tbag’s mouth twitched and he had lowered his voice, “That is what you are suggesting though, is it not?”

John rolled his shoulders, and moved to rest his hands on either side of Tbag’s head, more comfortable when he was physically dominating the other man. “I’m suggesting you stay by my side from now until we leave.”

When Theodore didn’t answer he leaned in close against his neck, mouthing against the spot under his ear that made him drop his head back with a sigh and he grinned against him. He was very aware of the others on the other side of the door but he moved until a leg slid between Tbag’s and the man made a frustrated sound, slamming his head hard against the wall.

It made John pull back, frowning, as he slid one hand behind Theodore’s head to keep him from doing it again. “Hey, you’re alright.”

Theodore was shaking his head though, eyes down, and every line of his body screamed that he had just given up. John’s fingers stroked against the back of his skull, and he eased his leg back, giving him some space. “I’m trying to protect you, Teddy.”

“I don’t need...” The words trailed off and he shook his head again, tucking his head in against his shoulder. The next words were muffled but John still heard them, “What if we don’t escape? What if you make it out and I don’t, and I’m left here. Like this.” It seemed like it pained him but Theodore raised his eyes to look up at him, “Do you know what will happen to me if I do this and then get left here?”

He did, and it was something that hadn’t crossed his mind. “That won’t happen.” He knew the words weren’t as sure as they could be, and he tried to think of any way that he could comfort him, reassure him, but he was coming up blank.

“You don’t know that.” Tbag let his body sag against the wall, “If I lose leadership of the alliance and be... do what you are saying there is no going back.”

He eyed him, and sighed. “Theodore, just keep running the Alliance and we’ll do this, it doesn’t have to be either or.”

Tbag chuckled at that, “Yea, I’m sure that will go over well.”

It would actually and he nodded, more confident with his words. “They will do what you tell them to. I’m not going to be interfering with your business, you’re just going to stick by my side and you can tell them that is the way it is.”

“And you think they’ll take orders from someone getting turned out?”

John wasn’t sure why, but Tbag putting it in those words, he didn’t like it. Didn’t like the way it described Theodore and he moved closer without thinking about it, pressing in close and tilting his head to press a kiss to the side of his jaw. “It isn’t like that.”

“You are saying that we act like it is.” The words were strained and when he pulled back to see his face Tbag looked anxious. “I mean, I’m not dumb John, you clearly have me... whatever it is we’re doing here isn’t all for show.”

“I already said I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. I just need you to keep your temper Theodore. You can do that for me, right? Not let it bother you when they try to rile you up?”

“Yea, easy for you to say. You're not the one getting bent over.”

He leaned back in to mouth against his neck, biting his neck below his ear until he would leave a mark, adding it to the ones that were already there. They were fading though and he wanted something more. “Come on, you can handle a week of it. Just don’t think too much about it, who cares what anyone thinks.” Tbag started to protest and he spoke over him, “You’ve had pocket holders who were much weaker than you and they managed not lose their shit, you can do it too Teddy.” The nickname rolled off his tongue so easy, and he liked the way it made the other man soften, given in.

“You better not leave me behind John.” There was a threat in there, but mostly it was begging, because if he got left behind he’d have a hell of a mess to clean up. And he would, he always would, but it would be a lot of work and he would rather not do that.

“I will not leave you behind.” In fact, he held him close for a moment before pulling back, “After we get out. I’ll help you out, make sure you have money and somewhere to go.” He didn’t know what had brought on that offer, and from the shock on Tbag’s face he knew that he hadn’t expected it. It wasn’t like he could bring him with him, he had his wife and family to go back to, but at the same time the thought of the man tagging along with him, needing him, was tempting.

He pulled Theodore off the wall and kissed him, and it was more passionate than he expected, as their mouths clashed together and he could practically taste Tbag’s gratitude, his hope that he wouldn’t be left alone when this was done. He’d spent so much time alone already. He pressed against him and they moved until Teddy’s back was to the table and when John finally pulled away, panting, he placed a hand on either side of Teddy’s hips, holding on to the table. Where they were pressed together they were both hard and he rocked his hips against him and sighed. “Well...” He trailed off as he nuzzled against his neck, hip to hip and he felt Tbag suddenly tense. He pulled back to look at his face.

“You’re not fucking me.” The words were panicked but unsure, and Tbag licked his lips, trying to read his face.

Abruzzi took a second to realize the man meant right that second and not at some point in the future, or at least he might not have meant that. He tilted his head and then glanced at the door that separated them from the others. “Why would I fuck you?”

Tbag had followed his gaze to the door, his face flushing and body tense, before he looked back at John. He licked his lips, trying to get his thoughts together. “Because… to show them.”

John still didn’t get it and he leaned to the left, resting his elbow on the wall so he wasn’t pinning Theodore in quite so much. “Show them what?”

He could tell just by the way he twitched that he was riling the man up again, but he really didn’t know what he was talking about. “That you’re, you know, the boss.”

Ah, well, now he just felt stupid. Of course that is what Tbag thought, it is probably something that he would have done. He shifted his weight boxing him in again, and his voice had a mocking lilt to it. “Didn’t even cross my mind. Do you want me to fuck you so they all know who the boss is?”

He got that look, the one that said someone might bleed, but he pressed his lips to his for a chaste kiss and pulled him off the wall before shivs could come in to play. “I’m not trying to hurt you Teddy, or humiliate you. I just need you to do what I say and I will do what it takes to get that, but I’m not going out of my way to make it hard on you.” He didn’t add that he didn’t need to fuck the man to prove that he was the boss, that everyone already knew that, it would only get him going again.

Something flashed on Teddy’s face, maybe disappointment, and John understood that too. He reached up to wrap his hand around the back of his neck, dominant and possessive, and pulled him close. “I know Teddy, and I got you. I have no desire to put you in your place in front of them, the only place I want you under me is when it is just us.”

The man melted into the touch, leaning against John, resting his head on his shoulder. Theodore was a complicated man, and he stroked his hair for a few moments before he shrugged his shoulder to get him to lift his head.

“So it is settled then?”

Tbag looked like he had forgotten what had been discussed, and his mouth twisted, the flush making itself known again. They had already done the back and forth, there was no point to continue it. He looked away, unable to meet his eyes, “Yea.”

John nodded, but Tbag’s answer wasn’t enough. He knew that dealing with the man you had to cross your Ts and dot your Is. “Say it.” The underlying growl of authority spilled out of his mouth and he could see Theodore’s body respond to it. It used to put him on edge, get his hackles up but now he could see it made the man’s shoulders hunch, head duck. Made him submit.

Tbag rolled his shoulders, shifted his weight, and toed his boot into the ground but John waited out the fidgeting and finally the man rolled his eyes like it didn’t mean anything at all to him, “I’ll stay by your side till the break out.”

“Theodore.” He knew it seemed like he was bullying, like he was forcing it for no reason, but if Tbag couldn’t even say it to him and keep his cool, he was going to lose it when others said it. And they would.

“John, I get what we decided on-” The hand at the back of his neck tightened in warning, fingers digging in, and Tbag growled at him, angry and frustrated but finally ground out, “I’m your bitch.”

It was a thrill to hear him say it after all the times he had heard the man say that he wasn’t, and even if they were pretending, which they weren’t, not really, but Tbag could only handle so much at one time, John’s body responded. He leaned his forehead against the other man’s, listening to him huffing, so angry and whispered. “Say it again.”

Theodore froze in his hands, but after only a few seconds of stalling muttered, “I’m your bitch.”

He dropped his hands to grab Tbag’s upper arms, squeezing them tight, and tried to sound like it didn’t affect him. Though when he shifted he could feel Theodore hard against him so it wasn’t like he was the only one. “See, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” He rubbed his arms and tilted his head so he could catch his eye, “And now you just need to remember not to lose it if someone says it.”

“I’ll do my best.” John almost took issue with the words but the tone was soft, eager to please, and he realized he had pushed Teddy into that mindset, the one that usually took sex and violence to get. And wasn’t entirely the best when they had to go back out and work. 

In an attempt to get him out of it he patted the side of his pants and started to ask, “So, do you think I should have you hold-”

Theodore’s head came up instantly, eyes sparking, and the softness had disappeared. “If you say hold your pocket, John, I’m going to stick you with this shiv I have, consequences be damned.”

He gave an easy shrug, finally moving completely away from the other man. “Was just a thought.” Theodore’s glare didn’t ease and he knew he was pushing it, but he only grinned. “It was a joke, relax a little.”

Tbag tilted his head, licking his lips nervously, “So what then, I just stay near you?”

“That’s all Theodore.”

He nodded and then was brushing past John towards the door, “We have work to do.”

“We do.” He caught Theodore just before he reached the door though and yanked him back hard against his chest, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding him there. He ground against his ass and one of his hands moved down to palm over Tbag’s erection through his pants. “You meant I wasn’t going to fuck you just right now, right?”

“John-”

More insistent rubbing over Theodore’s pants and he whined, begrudgingly muttering, “Yea, I meant right now.”

“And later?” He let him go before he could answer, they both knew what it would be. He was already missing his body against him and gave him a nudge. “Let’s get to work.”

They came through the door and everyone scrambled to act like they hadn’t been keeping an eye on the door, curious about what was happening. Theodore kept his head down, went back to painting where he had been before, and John glared down everyone in the room before he did the same. He didn’t plan on letting them give Tbag shit about it, and they might as well get that now.

After a few minutes Sucre, who had taken his place back next to Tbag, nudged him. “You got some paint, uh… there” He motioned generally at Tbag’s face, and the man reached up to touch it, making a face. Shooting a glare at Abruzzi before he turned it back to Sucre. The man just shrugged, “Just trying to help you out, relax papi.”

It was friendlier than he was used to hearing and Theodore eyed him uneasily, scanning across the others in the room. C-note wasn’t looking at him, Tweener digging diligently in the hole, Linc painting without paying attention to much of anything and Michael was watching him and Sucre but when Tbag caught his eyes he headed back the way they had come, probably back to plan. Usually the man looked disgusted when he looked at him, and it made him realize that Michael hadn’t given his normal reaction at all when he had crowded him earlier and he didn’t like the sinking feeling it gave him.

He turned his eyes away from the other room to John, watching his back as he painted his own side of the room. It caught his attention, he hadn’t looked at John much, hadn’t given much thought to what was going on, and he took a second to eye him. Like he could feel Tbag’s eyes on him John turned to look and Theodore nearly dropped his paint roller in his haste to turn back towards the wall and act like he hadn’t been doing anything. John grinned from across the room, but didn’t dwell on it, getting back to work.


	6. Don't Reward Bad Behavior

They wrapped up PI and headed to change out of their stuff, and it only took a look from John to make sure Theodore stayed by his side and even though he hadn’t meant to, hadn’t planned on it, he found himself watching the man change, and his thoughts drifted to the fact that they would be sharing a cell that night. 

“You need a room?” Linc was right at his ear and he gave him a nasty look, before going to change his own clothes. After PI it was time to head to dinner and they came out of the building heading towards the cafeteria and John moved next to Theodore, planning what he was going to do when they walked in the building. It had to be something definitive, but nothing that would hurt Tbag’s reputation, well, hurt it as little as possible.

They were lining up for food, Tbag at his elbow when he muttered, “Where am I supposed to sit then John?”

He barely could stop the instinct to say with him and his men, where they would be the safest, and he glanced out at the room instead, trying to decide what to do. The Alliance sat where they always did and his men sat on the other side of the room, but he knew that they wouldn’t question him if he sat with Tbag. They were used to him being able to move, and the kind of leader he was, there was no questioning.

He nodded towards Tbag’s table, “We’ll sit at your table, with your men.” They exited the line and before Theodore could say anything to that he balanced his tray with one hand and reached up to grab him by the back of the neck, tightening his hold when the man felt like he was going to resist. It was possessive and after a moment Teddy kept moving towards his table, keeping his shoulders back like nothing was different. Like nothing was going on.

Alliance members were watching like hawks, clearly confused, but they didn’t say anything as the men reached the table. There was a seat that was clearly saved for Theodore and John motioned at the man in the seat next to it. “Move.”

The man looked indignant and turned his gaze to Tbag who was watching with a sour look on his face but he did tilt his head, “Move, Mack.”

“We’re taking orders from Abruzzi and his men now?”

John dropped his hand from Theodore’s neck, letting him handle his own men. Tbag set down his tray and crowded in on the man, easy to do when he was sitting. “You’re taking orders from me. This is the last time I’m going to put up with you questioning me, and then I’m giving you to whoever wants you. _Move_.”

Mack grabbed his tray and shoved to his feet, clearly pissed, as he stomped off towards the other side of the table. John waited until Tbag sat before sitting next to him, his hand going up to press against the small of his back, and these small possessive moves were addicting. Tbag didn’t acknowledge it, digging in to his food and after a couple moments the chatter picked back up, and though it took him longer than it usually would Tbag joined in.

He seemed hesitant at first, darting his eyes to John, but when he just dropped his hand and went to his own food it seemed to ease something for him. John barely paid attention to what they were talking about, most of the Alliance didn’t have enough brains to fill a thimble. His Teddy did though, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Really he had expected someone to take issue with what was going on during dinner, though maybe when Tbag was surrounded by his men and John it seemed like too daunting of a target. After dinner they had open cell time and John headed straight for their cell.

Tbag followed him, casual swagger, but once they were in the cell he tilted his head down, and at some point John really needed to reward him because he was doing such a good job. He glanced outside the cell for a moment at the Alliance members hanging around, waiting for Tbag to hang with them and he turned abruptly, leaving them chest to chest. He lowered his head and could feel Tbag lean back, too many people watching for him to get any submission from the man without some violence, but that wasn’t what he had in mind. “You’re doing good Theodore, I’m proud of you.” Tbag scoffed but kept eye contact, and slowly tilted his head in the direction of the outside of the cell, clearly a question.

Oh, it probably burned for the man to feel like he had to ask permission to go to his own men and John let it settle between them for a minute, and he had to admit to himself that he got off on the power it gave him. There was an impulse to make the man submit hard, to do whatever he wanted to him, but he pushed it away. He gave a short nod and then pulled himself up to his own bunk, grabbing a book as he leaned back against the wall, ignoring the man.

Tbag twitched a little, tense and started to turn when John spoke up, quiet enough that only Theodore should be able to hear. Maybe. “Don’t go far.”

Tbag glared at that, tongue between his teeth, before he nodded and then was out of the cell and with his men. John glanced up over the book, watching the man. Theodore shook off the anxiety and submission like it was water, and he watched him bump chests with Trokey, shoving each other and talking about the new meat that came in. Again there was a twinge of jealousy as he listened to Theodore talk about what he would do to one of the new fish, and he raised his eyes up to the second tier where the fish in question resided, though he was currently hiding in his cell. Not that Tbag could do anything about it.

He looked back to his book, refusing to pay attention. Refusing to push to his feet and go out there and crowd the man and make sure all his attention was on him. It wasn’t easy to do though, and he had to make sure that he wasn’t the one that got caught up here. Had to make sure the man knew his place, it was so easy when it was the two of them, then Teddy was his sweet submissive boy with just the right push. With other people though, that cockiness came out and he remembered what about the man had made him so enraged before.

It was a relief when count was finally called and he moved outside of his cell, taking the same side as Tbag and pressing next to him close enough that they were touching shoulder to hip. The man leaned against him, but when he glanced at him he was looking up at the second tier and he followed his gaze to the fish and he forgot about everything that he was supposed to be doing.

He turned abruptly, grabbing the bar next to Teddy and using the leverage to slam the man hard against the bars, surprising a yelp out of him. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see the guards coming, though it was Bellick so he didn’t have much to fear and he kept the smaller man pinned against the bars until he lowered his eyes to the floor. He gave him one more hard shove, and then moved back next to him, aware that Theodore kept his eyes down, face angry, hands balled at his sides.

Bellick had reached them and just snorted a laugh as he passed, “Easy Abruzzi, you barely even got him broke in yet.” There were a few catcalls at that, hoots and hollers, and John had an up close view of Tbag’s face flushing bright red.

Theodore nearly snarled and as soon as he could he stalked into the cell, movements short and jerky. Abruzzi stayed standing outside just a moment longer, letting out a sigh, wishing he hadn’t let jealousy get the better of him. He gave a quick stare down of the block, of anyone looking their way, before he headed in the cell too. He leaned against the bars once they closed, watching Tbag pace back in forth in the little space. Idly he noticed that the paper on the floor was gone and tried to be casual. “Where did the paper go?”

Tbag shrugged, “One of the Alliance cleaned it.” The dismissal and confidence in the words reminded John that no matter what they were doing Theodore was a leader, was a dangerous animal, and it wouldn’t hurt to keep that in mind.

He didn’t crowd him, letting the man fume and pace like an angry alley cat. After a while it got boring though and he finally moved in on him. Tbag gave him that warning look but John ignored it, grabbing his arm and walking him backwards until his back hit the wall.

The man looked mad enough to spit and John tightened his grip, grabbing his wrist with the other hand and forcing his hand up so it was next to his head against the wall before doing the same with the other hand.

It was clear how much it bothered Tbag, his body forced open and vulnerable. Under John’s hands he was tense and he tilted his chin up defiantly, glaring, refusing to back down. Abruzzi stepped back enough to kick the inside of Theodore’s feet, making him spread his legs, and the man bared teeth at him. He looked completely feral.

“Theodore.”

“Back off.” 

The words were pointless, the man wasn’t fighting against his hold at all, and they may have been at the back of his cell but it was still clear what was going on for anyone that cared to look. And after the little show during count they were watching. He needed the man to calm down, and he needed it now. He pressed one wrist hard against the wall before he let it go but he whispered, “Don’t you dare fucking move it.”

He wasn’t entirely sure if Tbag would listen, and was surprised when he let go and the man didn’t budge an inch, it was nearly impossible to predict what he was going to do. Tbag was watching him cautiously, not sure what he was going to do and he dropped his free hand to his chest, splaying his hand across it. He pressed hard so Tbag moved the little bit more against the wall and leaned his head in close, “You need to calm down.”

“I don’t think I’m the one that needs to get under control John.” He growled the words out, but when John met his eyes he looked away and hunched his shoulders. 

“I seem to have plenty of control.”

“But you lost it because I was eyeing a new fish?”

The calm he had been holding on to finally snapped and he was reaching for the button on his pants with his free hand, using his other one to grab Theodore by the shoulder and shove him down. He would show the man who was in control. He was bothered by the jealousy and had no way to deal with it besides take it out on the other man.

The anger slid off Tbag’s face, replaced with panic and he resisted going to his knees, “John, John please.”

“Get down.” His pants were undone but that was it and he reached up to grab both his shoulders to push him down but Theodore moved his hands to grab John’s arms. 

“John… it’s not even lights out yet, I don’t…”

He was starting to waver though, because it was true. Guards could come by any second and he had promised him he wouldn’t do anything just to hurt him, and he concentrated on where Theodore’s hands were digging into his arms and finally looked him full in the face. 

Tbag’s face was pleading, his own anger forgotten for the moment in lieu of self-preservation, and John concentrated on that. He let go of his shoulder to touch his face, stroking his thumb across his cheek before he pushed with his other hand. “Down.”

Theodore searched his face, licking his lips nervously and scuffing his boot before he turned his head to rub against his shoulder, so many of his nervous tics at once John almost backed down, but he didn’t. Finally Tbag’s shoulders slumped and he dropped his hands, slipping down to his knees without another look at John.

As soon as he was on the ground John backed away, doing up his pants, and looked down at him. Tbag glanced up, confused, shifting on his knees. John watched him for a few moments, letting the man kneeling there submissively soothe his anger and nodded, “Get up.” He had made his point, he had made the man kneel when Tbag wanted nothing more than to rip his throat out, had done it in full view of other inmates to stake his claim and he was just glad he had come back enough that it was all he had done.

Despite the words though, Tbag stayed where he was. “John?”

He groaned at the word, his dick twitching, because he had brought out that soft side of the man without meaning too. And he wanted to use it. Wanted to go back in front of him and shove his cock down what he was sure, for the moment, would be a very willing throat, but he glanced sideways outside of the cell at everyone watching and sighed. 

He moved closer and reached out, gentle this time, to grab onto Tbag’s upper arm and pull him to his feet. Once he had him up he wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled him against his chest. “I shouldn’t have pushed you against the bars. I just…”

“You were jealous?” Tbag pressed in against his chest, arguably more damaging to his rep than the blowjob would have been, and he sounded almost hopeful.

He gave it to him because he had been a dick. “I was. You were talking about that punk, and then you were out there staring at him and I just... “ He let one hand trail down until he palmed the man’s ass, and he shouldn’t enjoy it that much. 

Tbag grinned at him, some of that cockiness coming back, and he leaned away from John a little so he could look at him. “I wasn’t going to blow you with the lights up and everyone watching, just so you know.”

It was a lie and they both knew it. John’s lip lifted in a smirk and he let Theodore go, moving up to look out the bars. After a moment the man joined him, leaning against them like he always did, arms through the bars. John couldn’t help smiling at him and rested his left arm on his shoulder, bracing against him as they looked out. Like it was the plan they both looked up to see Sucre, Michael somewhere in the back of the cell. They had clothes hanging so it was blocked and he was sure that Michael was digging and he did like having a view of the cell. Made him feel more confident.

A snort from next to him made him realize Sucre was waving at them, big dumb grin on his face, and how the man was even a criminal he didn’t know. He shook his head and pushed off the bars but Tbag stayed there, shouting out to his friends, to his men, at the new fish. Though John did notice that he kept it fairly neutral at the fish, just taunting, and the man’s mouth never stopped. He had seen people described as social butterflies before, but it was the first time he’d really labeled anyone as it. It was like he was physically unable to not talk with everyone.

John pulled himself up onto his bunk and shook his head, “Your mouth ever stop running, Tbag?”

He didn’t even look away from the bars as he kicked at it idly with his foot, a constant tap tap tap tap that may drive John crazy if he had to deal with it for more than a few days, “Not since I could talk.”

If he had thought about what he was saying he would have kept his mouth shut, but the encounter they had still had him running on adrenaline and he shook his head, “Someone probably shoulda beat that out of ya long before now.”

He wasn’t looking at him but somehow he still sensed Tbag go stiff and he turned so his back was to the bars and he was looking at John. “Well, you know that my daddy sure did try. Guess he wasn’t successful. You think you’d do any better at it, try me.”

Talking to the man was like navigating a minefield, and he had never noticed that before. Or maybe what he said got to Tbag more now and he eyed him from the top bunk, they had just done this game and he had forced him to submit. It was like Theodore couldn’t even help himself.

The easiest way to deal with it was to just ignore him. He casually picked up a magazine and flipped it open, answering without looking. “I have no problem with how much you talk, carry on.”

Theodore’s eyes narrowed though and he stalked towards the bunk, putting both hands on it and leaning against it. “Good. Because even if you did, there is nothing you could do about it.”

Just like dealing with one of his kids, though as soon as he had the thought John winced, not liking the comparison. Not when he knew the other kinds of things he thought about doing with the man. He couldn’t be pushed, at least this time, and he absently reached out to pat Theodore’s head, grinning at his scowl. “That’s right.”

Tbag moved a little closer, eyeing him, and clearly was trying to egg him on. “So you’re admitting that you’re not in charge of me?”

He lowered the magazine enough to meet his eyes over them, raising an eyebrow, the silent question settling between them. He could make him submit if he wanted to, they both knew it. He had proved it already, and it was like riding a roller coaster dealing with him. Actually that seemed like a good thing to tell him. He lifted the magazine back up and spoke, “Want to pick a mood already Teddy, the back and forth is giving me whiplash.”

It made his mouth twist and he pushed away from the bed, going back to the bars, looking for a different source of entertainment if John wasn’t going to provide it. Yup, just like one of his kids and John settled in to wait for lights out.


	7. Hang A Sheet

Nothing else exciting happened until the lights went out. John read and Tbag acted like a kid on a sugar high, and how had he never noticed it before. When the lights went off John slid off his bunk, leaning back against it and waited for Tbag’s attention to turn to him. It took a few minutes, even after the lights were off and they were supposed to quiet down Tbag stayed at the bars, singing out some song until Bellick made the way down to their cell, slamming his baton against the bars to make Tbag back up.

Bellick looked to John and made a motion at Tbag, “Can’t you control him?”

Tbag bristled at that but John just shrugged, “About as well as you can.” Bellick’s face twisted oddly as he tried to figure out if that was an insult or not, and while he thought about it Tbag retreated to the back of the cell, leaving Bellick and Abruzzi looking at each other when Bellick finally decided it was an insult and hit the bars again, pointing the baton at John. “Careful.”

He didn’t know who the man thought he was, who he thought paid him and John stepped towards the bars, not intimidated. “The same to you, Bellick.”

Bellick tried to stare him down but failed and tucked tail and headed back to the guard station. John moved to the bars to watch him, waiting to stare him down if he looked back at all. He didn’t though, and he was almost disappointed. He finally turned back to face Tbag who was leaning against the back wall, respect on his face as he nodded the way that Bellick had gone. “Got him on a short leash, do ya?”

He stalked towards him because all this waiting had just been too much and didn’t stop until they were pressed together chest to chest, Tbag’s head forced up at a sharp angle to keep meeting John’s eyes. He leaned down though and murmured, “Not as short as the leash I have you on.”

Tbag’s eyes flashed but he didn’t deny it, didn’t say anything, just stared up at John. At that John nodded and made a motion around them. “It’s lights out now.” He reached up one hand to touch Theodore’s face, cupping the side and thumb over his lips and again it only took a little prodding for the man to open his mouth and suck on the digit, less timid than the last time. John let it go on for a while, that talented tongue wrapped around his thumb, before he pulled away. “Why don’t you hang a sheet?”

It was dark so he couldn’t be certain but it looked like Theodore blushed at that. The man didn’t say no but he didn’t move, shifting his weight against the wall. “Theodore?”

“Yea, I mean. If you want.” He glanced past John out of the bars, though with the lights down to just night time ones there wasn’t too much to see. The back of all the cells were dark and Theodore looked back to him.

“What’s wrong?” He reached out to grab Theodore’s hip, fingers slipping under the band of his pants, and it had a clear effect on the man in front of him, his body curling in, chin dipping, but he answered like nothing was wrong.

“M’fine.” 

He knew after they had talked they had said that it was just pretending, even if they both knew that wasn’t exactly the truth but he supposed he had assumed he would still touch the man, do the things with him he wanted to. And, well, he was going to and Tbag would have to fall in line with it. He lowered his voice, a threat in it, “Hang the sheet.”

Theodore looked physically pained at the tone and looked away and spoke softly, “I wasn’t saying no, John.”

“Then what is the problem?”

Tbag pushed in closer, body pliant as it curled against him, begging to be touched without the words and John obliged, twisting his fingers in Theodore’s hair, holding his head against his chest. There was silence at first, but instinctively he understood, and he held him tight until the small sobs came, muffled against his chest. 

Guilt threatened to choke him, Theodore Bagwell was so fucked up the man didn’t even understand half of what he did or what he wanted. The urge to protect came again and sex fell to the wayside as he moved his hand from his waistband to move up under Theodore’s shirt, rubbing his back as he made quiet comforting sounds.

“Shh, shh. You’re okay.” He eased them down until he was sitting on the bed, turning so his back was to the bars, and Tbag settled nearly on his lap, still pressed against his chest. Tbag did a good job of muffling the crying, good enough that John wondered how often he’d had to do it. He rocked him slightly, pressing his cheek to the top of his head, “Come on Teddy, calm down. It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you. No one is going to hurt you.”

Hands fisted into his shirt, holding on tight, Teddy’s head shaking against his chest, though he wasn’t sure what he was denying. This wasn’t at all what was supposed to be happening, and he didn’t know how it had gotten to this point. He should have just fucked the man, beat him into submission, and kept his distance other than that. He definitely wasn’t supposed to get emotionally entangled with him.

While he was in his own head the tears had stopped and Theodore was just pressing against him, not doing much besides huffing warm breaths that John could feel through his shirt. He lifted his head and pet Theodore’s hair, “Are you okay?”

Tbag pulled back to look at him, and he reached up to wipe away the tears, waiting for him to answer. He didn’t say anything, just looked at him. Something seemed to cross his face, something painful and then he was pushing away from Abruzzi to his feet. He let him, not sure what was going on, and watched the man slink to the bars, glancing out of them for a moment before he reached to grab the sheet, pulling it across.

“Theodore-” He moved to his feet, not sure if he planned on stopping him, or what he planned on doing. The man was in his space quickly though, body submissive, as he leaned in close. He reached up to touch the side of his face and Theodore went up on his toes, leaning in for a kiss before his body jerked, twisting his head away. 

John licked his lips, glancing at the sheet, mind still on what the other inmates were going to think and how badly he’d fucked up Tbag’s prison cred. “Teddy?”

“I know you don’t want to kiss me.”

He remembered when Teddy had tried to kiss him and he had rejected it, the disappointed sound at the time had made him hard. They had kissed since then, but he had initiated it, not Theodore. He knew the other man had an oral fixation, had watched that tongue when he chewed on it himself, had watched it wrapped around his cock, and without any more hesitation he wrapped a hand in the back of Tbag’s hair and pulled him forward, smashing his mouth onto the smaller man’s.

Tbag made a startled sound but it was swallowed up in the kiss, and he grabbed on to John’s shirt again, holding on tight as he pressed into the kiss. John had to admit the man had a talented tongue. Tbag’s tongue pressed against his, wrapping around, lapping, just as active as the man was in everything else.

He let it go on for a while, let the man lean in to him and kiss how he wanted before he tightened his hand and took control. Forcing his tongue in to Tbag’s mouth and dominating his tongue, and unless he was mistaken the force had Theodore moaning, pliant body rubbing against him, and the man’s hard cock against his leg. 

When he pulled away they were both panting and he reached down to press over Tbag’s pants, cupping the erection he found there and tried to decide what he wanted to do. He was going to fuck him at first, but after the man’s breakdown he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea.

In fact, he realized he had been preoccupied, and wondered if the man had used the sheet, had used sex, to distract him. He slid his hands down to his upper arms and held him back when he tried to move closer. “You didn’t... are you okay?”

Tbag frown, shifting in the hold, “I’m fine John, you told me to hang a sheet and-”

“And you had a break down complete with sobbing against me.” He tilted his head, not sure what the man was thinking. Did he think he would just forget?

“John... please.”

He tightened his grip and waited until Theodore looked up at him and then he motioned with one hand towards the sheet, “I get it. You can’t go back from this, I will not leave you here, I will not go without you. I’m going to protect you no matter what.” Tbag had ducked his head while he talked and he grabbed his jaw to lift his head up and met those eyes, “I’m going to keep you safe, Teddy. Don’t you want that? Someone to take care of you?”

The words practically made the man swoon, and John wondered if anyone had ever taken care of him. Again it made sex seem like a bad idea and he let go of the man to rub his hand over his face. “Maybe we should just go to sleep.”

But Theodore looked enraged by that and pressed in, face tilted up, words like steel, “You don’t hang a sheet and let them all know you are fucking me to not go through with it, John.” Like he had earlier he grabbed John’s hand and pressed it over his cock, grinding against it. “I’m horny. Fuck me.”

It was more than he could hold out against and he pressed another kiss to his lips before he turned them, shoving Theodore down on the bed. The man sprawled there, and John didn’t miss the flash of uncertainty, contradicting the confidence he had shown moments before. They could go back and forth all night, but what was the point. He gently kicked the inside of Theodore’s foot. “Get your clothes off.”

The nervousness was more obvious but Teddy reached for his shirt, pulling it off and dropping it next to him on the bed before he reached for his pants. At the button he hesitated, glancing at John and waited for a nod from him and a move along type of motion, before undoing it and shimmying them down his legs. 

John stepped in to help, grabbing them and yanking them the rest of the way down his legs, dropping the pants on the ground. It was the first time they had done this with the man fully naked and he took a moment to look at him. He had seen him naked in the shower, sure, but this was different.

He stepped forward, Tbag easing back on the bed, looking up at him with wide eyes. His throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously, hands clenching against the bed. John watched him spread his legs to make room for John to stand and his cock was interested. He reached out with one hand to trail it up Tbag’s leg, watching the man’s cock twitch. 

Okay, if they were going to do this then they were going to do it. “Put your hands above your head.” Theodore hadn’t expected that, and Abruzzi was well aware of how much he had disliked it when his hands were pinned against the wall, but he watched him reach over his head, crossing his wrists against the bed. 

If the concern on his face wasn’t enough to know the man’s feelings on his hands being up, the feel of his thighs pressed against him, the man subconsciously trying to close his legs said a lot. John made a tsking sound, reaching down to press against Theodore’s knee until he opened them again. 

Without taking his eyes off him he reached in his back pocket, pulling out the slick he had, throwing it to land on the bed next to Tbag. The man glanced at it and he used the distraction to grab him under both knees, yanking his legs up and pulling him forward to the edge of the bed, watching to see if he moved his hands at all. 

Though he was startled he kept his hands above his head, meeting John’s eyes and licking his lips, rubbing his chin against his shoulder. John let him settle his feet on the bed, leaving him spread wide open and reached up to cup his cheek, stroking against it. “Don’t be nervous. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“M’not nervous.”

John gave him a look, and he wondered if the man even knew all his nervous twitches. He reached out to grab the slick and pressed some on to his fingers, moving to Theodore’s ass. He circled his entrance, gliding fingers over it without pushing in a few times until Tbag shifted his weight, pressing up.

He grinned, feeling like he won, and slipped one finger inside slowly, stretching him out. It didn’t take long until he had two fingers in him, pressing hard, rubbing against his prostate, until he had the man writhing on the bed. Until he had him pressing against his fingers and whimpering his name. 

He really should quiet the man, gag him, something, but they had come this far he might as well enjoy it. Might as well get to own the man and let everyone know it. It wouldn’t matter, they would be gone in less than a week and Theodore could deal with it for a week. Or at least he would kill anyone that wouldn’t leave the man alone. It almost made him laugh, the thought of him killing someone because they teased Theodore Bagwell so ridiculous. There was no way the man wouldn’t take it wrong though so he pushed the laughter down.

He slid in a third finger and was rewarded with a broken cry from Teddy, his leg hooking around John’s, trying to pull him closer. “John, please...”

The hips shoving up at him, the man fucking himself on John’s fingers said what he wanted but John just twisted his fingers, pressing against his prostate and answered, “Please what Teddy?”

A high pitch whine made it out as Tbag threw his head back, hands opening and closing above his head before they grabbed on to the edge of the bed frame, giving him more leverage to push. He didn’t hear the words though and waited patiently, he was sure he could keep the man right on the edge of an orgasm for quite a while. To get his attention he grabbed Tbag’s cock with his other hand, stroking him a few times, smearing pre cum down his cock before he pulled his hand away.

“Fuck me.”

A corner of John’s mouth lifted as he pulled his fingers out, pulling down his own pants as he watched Tbag whimper at the loss of contact. He got them pushed down to his thighs, cock out before he leaned forward, hands on the bed on either side of Teddy.

“I didn’t hear a please.”

Tbag lifted his head, meeting his eyes, a spark of anger at that but he still practically cried out, “Please fuck me John, please.”

He didn’t wait any longer, lining his cock up as he pushed Tbag’s legs back, and pressed in to him. He kept it slow, pinning the man’s hips down to keep him from moving, watching him thrash his head and push his body, desperate for more.

Once he was fully seated in him he pressed over him until he could kiss, his mouth smashing down hard enough on Tbag’s to bust his lip open, tasting blood. Tbag’s hands let go of the bed, coming to touch John, but he pulled back and grabbed them and shoved them back up, “Keep your hands up.”

He liked taking away his power like that, bringing out that vulnerable nervousness that came from the man having his body wide open with little way to defend himself. It was a dangerous addiction, making Theodore submit, and he wasn’t sure he could get enough of it.

They kissed again, gentler, before he pulled back and grabbed the man under the knees, pulling out and thrusting back in hard. He didn’t slow, hard thrust after hard thrust and watched Tbag scramble to hold on to the bed frame to keep from being rammed into the wall.

Suddenly he pulled out and dropped Tbag’s leg, giving his thigh a slap, “On your hands and knees.”

Tbag scrambled to get roll over, getting on his hands and knees and John grabbed on to his hips and shoved back inside. This angle let him slam harder, deeper, and Tbag held himself up for a few moments before his head and shoulders dropped to the bed, burying his face into the sheets and shoving his ass up. John shifted until he could slam into his prostate, making Tbag keen and mewl and make all sorts of fantastic sounds.

He reached around him and stroked Tbag’s cock, and could tell that he was already close to cumming. He reached his arm around Tbag’s chest to pull him back up into a kneel, sliding deep enough to make the man cry out, scrambling to grab on to John’s arm to give him something to hold on to.

The man was so close he was sure he could make him cum without touching his cock and he slammed into him as he bit down on Theodore’s neck, marking him, owning him as much as possible. He pulled back to suck on the spot before bringing his lips to Tbag’s ear, “Good boy Teddy, you feel so fucking good. Be my good boy Teddy, cum for me.” 

A low moan made it out of his mouth and his body clenched around John, spilling on to the blankets and John nuzzled his neck as he thrust a few more times before he was cumming, filling the man up with his seed, grinding as hard into him as he could. A pained whimper escaped Tbag at the roughness but it only made his cock twitch a few more times, made him do it again. When he finally settled they both fell forward, and once he had the naked man pressed into the bed he became very aware of the fact that he still had almost all his clothes on. 

It almost seemed like a waste, but they would have more time together. Time to do it different, and he rubbed his face against Tbag’s shoulder. It wouldn’t even have to just be until they escaped, it could be longer than that if he wanted. He knew it was true. If he told Teddy that he was staying with him after this, told him that he belonged to him, he was sure the man would give in and go with it. 

To stop that thought he pushed up, pulling out and ignoring when Theodore shifted uncomfortably at the twinge of pain, cum sliding down his thighs. He pulled up his pants, tucking himself away, and waited for Theodore to get himself together too. It took him a little bit, when he first pushed up he seemed like he was shaky, but eventually he rolled over so he was sitting on his bed. 

John looked around and grabbed the pants off the floor to toss to him, but the man still must have been dazed because they hit him in the face, falling to land in his lap and he looked down at them for a moment like he was confused. John sighed and grabbed Tbag’s shirt and tugged the man to sit on the edge of his bed so he could help him pull it on.

He raised his arms like a child waiting to be dressed and John got the shirt on, kneeling down to help him get his shorts on to sleep in. Theodore watched him but had a blank look on his face like he wasn’t quite there, and John was starting to get a little worried. 

They were going to have to take the sheet down soon, the guards let it go on but not all night, and he wanted to try to get a handle on Theodore before he did that. He grabbed his jaw so he could meet his eyes, and those big eyes had so much faith in him it was frightening. “Teddy?”

The man licked his lips and tilted his head, his voice quiet, “Was it good? Did I do a good job?”

John’s stomach clenched at the words, at the tone, at the desperate doting look the man was giving him. He reached up to stroke his hair and nodded, “Yes, you did a good job.”

Theodore smiled at him, clearly proud of that answer and John pressed his shoulder until he lay back on his bunk, no complaints about lying in a wet spot, and pulled the blanket up over him. Just like tucking in his kids. Jesus he had to stop making those comparisons.

Once he was tucked in he couldn’t help stroking the man’s face, dropping his fingers down to trace the bite mark, before leaning down to press a soft kiss to his bruised and swollen mouth. Actually now that he was really looking at him the man looked a little worse for wear. Bruises on his neck, his shoulder, his wrists, probably his stomach and hips. After they hung a sheet everyone would know that they were fooling around, after they saw the bruises everyone would be absolutely sure what role each of them had. And he couldn't help but enjoy that. Even if he felt like shit about it.

“Go to sleep Teddy, bedtime. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He nodded, and did seem to be coming back to himself, shooting a self-conscious look towards the sheet and then back up to John. He looked like he wanted to speak and John waited patiently for him to find his words, “If... If I have nightmares...”

“I’ll be right here, I promise.”

Theodore nodded, the frown on his face telling John that the man was okay, that he was remembering what was going on, and he watched him roll on to his side, pulling the blanket up to his chin and facing the wall. Clearly he was trying to hide and John let him. 

He reached up to undo the sheet, letting it fall, looking to see who was looking. There was a fair amount of attention on them, they were two of the most powerful inmates in the prison and one of them fucking the other... that was a big deal. Especially in prison where there wasn’t much else to do besides kill, fuck and gossip.

A quick scan around and he glared down anyone that looked curious, moving to block anyone from being able to see Teddy curled up on his bed, until he was satisfied everyone understood this wasn’t exactly the normal situation. He looked up to find Michael watching them, and he wasn’t sure what to make of the look on his face. It was angry, or maybe concerned, and the man’s eyes slid past him to where Tbag was and John made a point of moving and blocking his line of sight, glaring him down too.

Michael’s mouth twisted in that way it did, but he only had a second longer to see him before he disappeared into the cell, Sucre taking his place and he knew the man was going to work. Sucre peeked down at them but when he saw John’s glare he quickly averted his gaze. 

John turned to look at Theodore and could tell the man was already sleeping, the gentle rise and fall of the blanket giving it away, and he moved forward, reaching down to brush his arm before he pulled himself up to his own bunk.

For a while sleep had been an issue but he found as soon as he pulled the blanket over himself, as soon as he got comfortable he was drifting to sleep. It was good to feel so relaxed, he could get used to it easily. His last thought before he fell asleep was that maybe it wouldn’t be terrible to keep the little redneck close as long as he could.


	8. Be A Good Boy

Abruzzi opened his eyes, taking a moment to get his bearings, he had been waking up in the same bunk for a long time. He looked around and by the time he realized where he was it was clear what had woken him up. The bunks vibrated slightly as Tbag moved around on the bottom one, small whimpers escaping him and John looked over the edge to see the man tossing and turning, face scrunched up, hands clenched.

He glanced out of the bars, but the man was still quiet enough that they probably hadn’t garnered any attention. He slipped down next to the bed, sitting on the edge of it and reaching out to touch Theodore’s head.

In his sleep the man jerked away, a hopeless little cry making it through his lips. John shifted closer, moving his hand to his hair and petting it, a mindless comforting sound coming out of his mouth as he tried to calm him.

“Daddy, please don’t...” The whimpered words went straight to Abruzzi’s gut and he thought about his own kids. Who could hurt their own children? He hated that he brought this out in the other man, that whatever he had done had flipped some switch, because before all this he had never heard so much as a peep about anything like this from the man. He certainly hadn’t woken the block up with nightmares every night.

“Shh, it’s okay.” He shifted closer, tugging on Theodore until he turned towards him, even in sleep his entire body tensed in fear, the emotion all over his face, but he moved as he was pulled. He curled up around John, his head on John’s thigh, and John reached down to stroke his side. “Shh, Teddy, it’s okay, you’re safe.”

Slowly the body curled all the way around him, burying himself in John’s presence. As John pet his head, murmured soft words to him he finally settled, his breathing slowly evening out. He kept touching him after he fell asleep, leaning his back against the post for the bunk bed and settling in, not planning on going back to sleep. Theodore was all over him, head in his lap, arm wrapped around his legs, his own legs curled in until they tangled with his and he didn’t want to wake him up.

The man’s hand was near his face and he watched, nudging it a little, and then Tbag was sucking his thumb again. It made his cock twitch but he ignored that, what he was feeling at the moment had nothing to do with sex. Maybe it was too long away from his family but he liked this, just affection and nothing else. His presence had been able to settle the man, clearly when Abruzzi held him he felt safe, and John just wanted to enjoy that. It was nice to have someone not expect anything from him other than a kind touch.

Which rocked him a little because he was supposed to be doing something else with Tbag. But that was what he wanted to do, to protect him, to take care of him, and he knew that Theodore wanted that and he was starting to realize they had stumbled on to something odd here.  Theodore started to rouse slowly, he could feel the man moving, body stretching before curling tighter around him, head burying in against him. The man didn’t need to be up yet, it was still early and John reached for the blanket and pulled it further up around him, hoping he would go back to sleep.

It didn’t work that way though, all at once the body went from lax against him to tense and stiff and he knew that he was awake. He still had one hand on his head and laced his fingers in his hair, keeping him from pulling away abruptly, and rubbed his back with the arm he had around him. Leaning his head in close he whispered, “Easy Teddy, you’re okay. You had a nightmare.”

Slowly he relaxed against him, he could feel each part of the man’s body as the tension slid away until he was lying against him. There was no more thumb sucking though and John kind of missed it. Theodore still hadn’t said anything so he added, “It’s still early, you can sleep more. I’ll make sure you’re up before the block is up.”

Teddy sighed and after a moment he cuddled up against John again, tucking his arm around him and John smiled as the man fell back asleep.

When Theodore woke up again John was on the other side of the cell, at the bars, staring out and up at Michael’s cell where the man was staring down at him. With him. He wasn’t sure what was going on. He sensed Tbag rolling over and sitting up and pushing to his feet. It was a few more moments before he was next to him at the bars, though his eyes were on John and not out. 

John watched Michael’s reaction when Tbag got to the bars. Michael’s eyes darted to him instantly and unless he was mistaken the look softened and when it came back to John there was that angry look again.

Tbag nudged him, “What is Pretty’s problem?”

“You I think.”

Tbag snorted at that. “What else is new.” John pulled his gaze away to look at Tbag, impressed that he sounded so calm and relaxed after the night before. 

As soon as his eyes landed on him though, it was clear that he wasn’t handling it quite that well. The man’s face was tense, eyes darting around from cell to cell even though he didn’t look like he was meeting anyone’s eyes. Instead of how he normally stood, arms through the bars, taking up as much space as possible he had his arms crossed, shoulder against the bars so he was only half facing them. 

John tilted his head at him, “Are you alright?”

“Fine as could be Johnny boy.” The words were right but they were strained, desperate, obviously trying to hold on to whatever cred he still had left. Whatever he could. 

Without waiting for a response Tbag moved back in the cell, picking up things and setting them back down, bouncing with nervous energy. John followed him after a cautious glance out, and finally boxed him in towards the back of the cell.

“Teddy.”

He jerked like he had been punched and stumbled back against the wall. John frown and Tbag looked away. “In the shower room...”

They would be going to shower after count and he nodded his head, listening, waiting for whatever the question the man had on his mind was. When there was silence he prompted him a little, “In the shower room?”

“Are you going to do anything. Am I... I mean normally in the shower...”

John had seen Tbag have sex with his pocket holder of the week several times in the shower, along with other inmates, and he understood what he was saying. He wanted to crowd in against him until they touched but he stayed back. “Do you think I would do something in the showers?”

Tbag was shaking his head and he spoke at the floor, “No.” He scuffed his foot and looked up, hands out in a motion that spoke of how helpless he felt, “But I don’t know for sure John. And I don’t like not knowing.”

John couldn’t help it as he moved closer, couldn’t stand to be away from him, and reached down to grab his wrist. Without having to do anything, without having to say anything, at the hold Tbag raised his hands above his head and pressed them against the wall, John’s grip holding them there. John grinned at that, sliding a leg in between Tbag’s, and whispered, “You give in so easy.”

Tbag’s lip curled and he yanked his wrist out of John’s grip, “Back off.”

“No.” He wiggled his knee till Tbag gave and spread his legs, and John raised an eyebrow at him. It made his lip curl more, really baring his teeth, and John watched Tbag’s hand move to his pants. It only made his grin bigger, “You don’t have a shiv on you.”

“How do you know?”

“You spent the night wrapped around me and before that you were naked. I know you don’t have one.”

Tbag wasn’t giving in, outside the cell the other inmates were waking up and moving around and the man’s eyes darted out before looking at John. He licked his lips and raised his chin, “Back off John.”

“Make me, Teddy.”

If he was honest with himself he had expected the man to give in and instead was startled as Tbag took a swing at him. He moved but it still glanced off his jaw and the look on his face promised it wasn’t the last. Oh, how had he forgotten the man wasn’t a prison punk, that he was dangerous. Tbag took another swing but he grabbed his arm and shoved him against the wall, but Tbag wasn’t done and twisted, kicking out at John. He caught him in the knee pretty good and it almost buckled and John realized he had to stop fucking around.

He whirled around and caught Theodore with an elbow to the face, stunning him, and shoved him against the wall harder. The man wasn’t going to give up, he could see it on his face, and he must have finally pushed him too far. He had to get him under control though, before count, and he did the only thing that he could. Sure that it would quiet the man, even though it was a shitty thing to do. He grabbed Teddy’s hair and yanked his head back, using his body to pin the struggling man and spoke in a soft voice against his ear.

“Shh, be a good boy for Daddy.” Theodore went still against the wall, breathing heavy, and Abruzzi tightened his hold on him, nuzzling against his neck. “That’s my good boy, Teddy. No more fighting, right?”

He wasn’t sure it would work, part of him hoped that it wouldn’t work, but when he pulled back enough to look down at him the man’s face had gone slack, eyes wide as he nodded. The guards called count and John cursed, wincing as it made Tbag flinch, before he leaned down, “Tell me, tell me you’ll be a good boy.”

“I’ll be a good boy, daddy.” It was that little kid voice again, small and scared and needy and John sighed, that was what he had wanted, but he didn’t feel good about it.

“Alright Teddy, come on, time for count.”

For a moment he nodded without really moving but slowly realization made its way in and Tbag lowered his eyes, pushing off the wall to follow John out. Once they were in the aisle he leaned against the bars, not even looking up, not talking and it was unusual enough for Tbag to get them some attention.

One of the inmates across the way yelled out to them, “Shit Abruzzi, if I knew punking him out would get him to keep his mouth shut I would have done it years ago.”

John moved in front of Tbag, the man wasn’t in any condition to defend himself currently, and met the inmate’s eyes. “You got a fucking problem?”

“Just a compliment, Abruzzi.” There was more laughter and behind him Tbag huddled against the bars, and a part of John wished he could undo it. The guards passed by, barely glancing at them, and he turned back to the cell, grabbing Tbag’s sleeve to get him to follow. Back in the cell Tbag sunk down to his bunk, pulling his knees up, but John shook his head.

“Come on, get your shower gear together.”

“Don’t wanna go.” The whiny petulant tone made him pause, eyeing the man.

“Tbag, come on, snap out of it.”

Even the use of his prison tag didn’t seem to do much, the man looked up at him but away quickly, tightening his arms around his knees. “M’fine.”

John finally grabbed him by the shirt to pull him to his feet and gave him a little shove towards his stuff. “Shower time. Come on.” 

Theodore finally moved to get his stuff, gathering it up, and at least John was sure that meant he hadn’t done any permanent damage. They headed out but before he went through the gate John put his arm out, stopping him. Tbag cringed away from him though he straightened quickly. “You need to hold it together. Not much longer and we’ll be out of here. Just keep pretending to be my-”

“It’s not pretend.” Tbag stepped closer to him, close enough to touch and pressed his forehead against John’s shoulder. “I’m not dumb John, I know it’s not pretend.”

They looked at each other but it was broken up by Michael and Sucre suddenly there, shower stuff in hand and he watched Tbag track them, a flare of something in his eyes as he watched Michael. John nodded, “Just pull it together, I got your back, I’ll protect you. Just make it till the escape.”

Tbag turned his attention back to him, tongue curled between his teeth and he nodded. It was an odd sensation watching the mask slide over his face as they headed towards the shower. Theodore stuck close by his side, ignoring the nasty things that were being said to him, and John was surprised when the Alliance fell in behind them.

Theodore turned to look at them, lips turning up in a grin like a kid seeing his friends in the school yard, and when he fell back to talk to them John let him, just keeping an eye on what was going on. He had thought they would drop him after the night before but, well, it was the alliance after all. It wasn’t like they were the brightest.

In the shower Tbag hesitated a moment before he pulled his clothes off, and John watched possessively as his body was exposed. It was as he thought, there were bruises down his hips, the back of his thighs where John had grabbed them to hoist them up. Bite marks and hickeys up his neck but the man kept his shoulders back, and moved into the water. 

John scanned the room, making sure that no one thought they could try something and by time he looked back he was surprised to see Michael on the other side of Tbag. Michael had always made it a point to avoid the man and John kept an eye on it, suspicious.

Teddy was well aware of Michael being close to him, darting small glances in his direction. Yea, John knew the man had a ... crush for lack of a better word on Michael and he fought down the rage when Tbag looked the man up and down before turning a little red and looking back towards the water, moving closer to John.

He couldn’t help it as he raised a hand to grab him by the neck, squeezing hard as Tbag looked at him from under the water, and he wanted to lick the drops on his lip off him. He had told him he wouldn’t do anything in the shower though, wouldn’t do anything sexual with the man in front of everyone, but it was tempting. Tbag licked his lips and when John darted his eyes up to meet his they said he knew the thoughts John was having.

Naked in a big room with a bunch of convicts wasn’t the place to get a hard on and he made a point of looking back towards the water, just catching the shadow of a smirk from Theodore.

“Are you okay?”

Michael didn’t talk much, so when he did it was easy to catch attention and Tbag turned towards him, confusion on his face, head tilted like a puppy. “Are you talking to me, Pretty?”

Though there was a quick frown at the nickname he nodded. Michael’s eyes moved over his shoulder to John, narrowed, before back to Tbag. “Are you okay?”

John was standing there, staring dumbly at the interaction when he suddenly realized that Michael was concerned that _he_ had hurt Tbag, that the man must not like what they were doing. Tbag nodded slowly, the confusion on his face real. “I’m just fine as can be, Pretty.”

Abruzzi didn’t know why it mattered to him, why he had to ruin the okay moment between the two. But Tbag loved when Michael talked to him and he was jealous. He leaned in close, whispering harshly, loud enough for Tbag and Michael to hear. “He’s worried I hurt you when I fucked you.”

Theodore’s eyes went to John’s and whatever he read there had him turn away from Michael, shoulders tense, as he finished his shower. The look on Michael’s face said that he wasn’t done, that he had more questions, and John rolled his eyes at him before finishing his own shower. 

When they finished Tbag kept his eyes down, shoulders a little hunched and stuck by John as he wrapped a towel around his hips. John reached out to touch the small of his back, keeping his hand there, and he wished he could make up his mind about wanting to leave Tbag alone and wanting every inmate to know that he owned him.

The man was silent while they got dressed and headed for chow, and John didn’t really worry until the Alliance fell in step with him and he heard Theodore mutter for them to go on ahead, that he was going to sit with Abruzzi. The boy had clung to his gang, had spent as much time screwing around with them as he could, and to voluntarily have them leave was saying a lot.

They seemed nervous about it, darting eyes at John, and he listened to Tbag confidently tell them everything was fine, just working on something and he’d see them in the yard after PI. They nodded and agreed, fawning around Tbag, and he caught a small grin on the man’s face before it fell away when he looked back to John, falling in to step next to him.

It took him a second to decide what he wanted to say, “I didn’t tell you that we couldn’t sit with your men.”

Tbag shoved his hands in his pockets and wouldn’t meet his eyes, “You made yourself pretty clear about the way you wanted it to be in the showers.”

He couldn’t really argue with that, it would only make him look weak so instead he grabbed Tbag by the elbow, wrapping his hand around it and pulling Tbag along, keeping him close to him. They entered the cafeteria and he reluctantly let go but the man didn’t move far away, and he kind of understood why the man had his boys hold his pocket. It would keep him close and leave Abruzzi’s hands free. He chuckled to himself at that, because he was positive Tbag would die before he’d hold his pocket.

They got their food and headed towards where his men sat and he realized he had to give Tbag some kind of rules because his men were not like the Alliance. They would be watching everything, analyzing it, and they wouldn’t brush off him talking shit. When they were almost there he moved so he was blocking the path, the sudden obstacle making Tbag stumble and look up, face closed off.

For a moment he wanted to bust that mask open, wanted to see that scared compliant creature he could be, but not in the middle of the cafeteria. He took a deep breath and spoke calmly, “I don’t want to hear a word out of your mouth unless I ask you something. Just sit there and be quiet, understood?”

Tbag glanced back towards his own table, longing on his face, and yea he probably would have more fun there. He nodded though, “Yea, I understand John.”

He wasn’t sure he believed him so he grabbed his shoulder, squeezing slightly. “You’ll be a good boy, right?”

His head jerked up, face flushing red, but at the same time it made that hard edge soften, “Yes.” The word was hissed out and John thought about asking him to repeat it back but he took him at his word and nodded, and they moved towards the table again.

They had left two spots open and he grabbed Tbag’s shoulder, pressing him down into one of the seats before he took his own next to him. The man glared at him briefly, because yea, obviously he did know where he was going to sit without John pushing him there but he didn’t say anything. Just tucked in to his food and John watched him for a moment before he turned his attention to his men.

They talked about general things, things that it wouldn’t matter if Tbag heard because no matter how cowed he thought he had the man he wasn’t willing to completely trust him. There was a small sigh from Tbag next to him and he glanced at him, and the man looked completely bored. He was poking at his food, glancing around the room, watching the new fish for a bit before looking to Michael and finally back to John. When he realized John was watching him he looked back down to his food, his shoulders hunching.

The smile slid off his face because he didn’t like that. His men completely ignored Theodore, and without him talking to him, he realized the man was dying for someone to talk to. It looked like it was physically paining him to be quiet, but it wasn’t like John could tell him to go play with his friends. He didn’t want him that far out of his reach anyways. 

The submissive body language eased after a minute and after a quick darting glance at John he was looking around again. Focusing on Michael now, tilting his head, and he looked like he was trying to figure him out. Trying to understand what he was doing. Michael glanced at their table once, but didn’t linger there before he went back to talking to Sucre and C-note and there was another sigh from Tbag as he went back to poking at his food.

Now his men were noticing the sighs, and across from him they looked unsure. Tbag wasn’t acting like a punk but he also wasn’t acting like the head of the Alliance, and he could see people trying to figure out what he was doing. Of course, John didn’t know either.

He dropped his hand to Tbag’s thigh, giving it a light squeeze that was supposed to be comforting but it only made Tbag duck his head further down, curl in on himself. Reluctantly he pulled his hand away and went back to talking to his men. At lunch he was going to have to let the man sit with his people, or maybe with Michael, something. He couldn’t take another meal of the man sulking and he needed to sit with his own men and talk. It wasn’t like Tbag wasn’t safe without him. The man had practically run half the prison, was dangerous all on his own, but John knew he had damaged that when he fucked him.

A glance at Tbag’s tray showed that he’d barely touched his food and John turned towards him, “Not hungry?”

Theodore was still staring down at his plate and he nudged him with his foot to get his attention. When he realized John was talking to him he looked up, glancing around the table once before he looked to John and muttered, “Not really.”

It wasn’t like it was that surprising, the man was wiry and John was sure he never ate a lot, but he couldn’t stop the question that followed, “Are you hurt?”

Theodore’s mask slammed into place and he looked back down to the table, shaking his head. He hadn’t really thought about what he was asking until the man’s reaction and he winced, glancing up at the amused looks around them. He couldn’t apologize, couldn’t tell him he didn’t mean to embarrass him so he just gave up on breakfast going any better and turned back to his men.


	9. Move, Bitch

On the way to PI John kept an eye on Tbag, he had planned on holding his elbow, liked the physical connection, but the man had taken off as soon as he could, putting distance between them. John’s eyes narrowed as Tbag fell in just behind Michael and to the side of him, but he hadn’t told him that he needed to stay by his side.

He was sure that sticking by Michael though, that was just to piss him off. Michael looked wary when he looked at Tbag, but he allowed the man to walk next to him, and from the way his head dipped down he was sure that he was talking to him. Tbag was looking out over the yard though and he glanced back at Michael once with a grin on his face, but then went back to checking out what everyone else was doing.

In the shed they divvied up the work without any problems, and it had to be obvious to everyone how very carefully Tbag was avoiding being anywhere near Abruzzi, but everyone kept quiet. The tension was growing in the shed though, Linc shooting him glances that said he needed to fix whatever was going on before it exploded in a fight.

Which, of course, it did because they were a bunch of criminals and on the best of days they barely could stand each other. He wasn’t surprised at all that it was between Tbag and C-note.

They had bumped into each other and all it had taken was a, “Move, bitch.” From C-Note to set off Tbag, who had gone for the shiv he didn’t have on him thanks to John, before shoving into the man’s space, hands out to show he was ready to fight.

John sighed as he threw down the paint roller in his hand, tempted to just let them fight it out. Everyone stopped what they were doing, moving towards the men as C-Note swung a fist that hit Tbag in the face but the man didn’t go down, he was a tough fucker and he was swinging himself and before John could even get involved the two men were rolling around on the ground, fists flying and faces bloody.

Sucre was by the door and turned with a panicked look, “They’re making too much noise, they are gonna bring a guard.”

John closed his eyes for a second because he didn’t want to do this, especially since it seemed like despite his smaller size Tbag had the upper hand, C-Note on his back with Tbag over him, fists swinging. He moved up behind him, and let him get another good hit in, let the man prove once and for all that he wasn’t weak, before he did anything else.

When Michael approached them he finally kicked in to gear, grabbing Tbag around his chest, pinning his arms down as he pulled him up and off the other man. There was some struggling and kicking until Tbag realized who had him and then he relaxed back against him, breathing hard. Linc pulled C-Note to his feet and held him back, though the man’s face was bleeding freely and he seemed like the fight had left him.

Abruzzi would let them deal with C-Note. He let go of Tbag to turn him to face him, and frown at the bloody nose, the cut above his eye. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

He pulled him over to the sink and was distrustful of his easy compliance. He grabbed one of the towels and ran it under the water, reaching up to wipe away the blood on the man’s face. He sat there quietly, not complaining, and when John finally set down the towel he grabbed his jaw to tilt his head up enough that he could meet his eyes. He didn’t need to really hide what was going on, everyone here knew.

“Feel better?”

“If you expected me to sit back and take that-”

“I didn’t.” He glanced at the other men, and realized they were getting back to work, trying to be nonchalant and he looked back to Theodore. “I don’t want you to get thrown in the hole, and in this room as long as you don’t jeopardize the escape I don’t care if you stand up for yourself. I’d rather you do it.”

“Abruzzi.”

He startled and looked to Michael standing there, out of the corner of his eye he saw Tbag cross his arms and look away intentionally. “We’re getting back to work now.”

“Can I talk to you?”

He’d be dumb not to realize what it was about and he shook his head. “I’ve already dealt with this problem, Scofield. Worry about your side of things.”

Michael darted his eyes to Tbag before he looked back, “You said you’d take care of him, not ...”

“I’m fine Pretty, don’t worry yourself.”

Theodore defending him felt wrong, and he moved closer to Michael, not that he could intimidate the man. He knew that he couldn’t, he had taken two of his toes and the man hadn’t given in, not even a little. 

Michael looked at him fully for a second before he stepped closer to Theodore, speaking to him, and his voice had more emotion in it than John had heard up to this point. “I still think you’re a scumbag, but it isn’t right to take advantage of you. Not when you were...”

Ah, so he wasn’t the only one that had heard the whimpered daddys. Or maybe he had done his research beforehand, though he didn’t think that was true because the change in attitude towards the man had only just started.

Theodore came off the wall where he was leaning until he was standing directly in front of Michael, his face twisted in anger. “You don’t know a thing about me, Scofield, and I don’t need your help.” With that he shoved past him, heading back to the hole to take his turn digging.

It was just the two of them left and Michael looked at him, and the man had already seemed to dislike him but then it had been business, this looked personal. “I heard you with him, you’re using that he was abused to control him.”

John shrugged, picking up his paint roller. “You wanted me to control him, he’s controlled. Why don’t you go worry about your plan and leave Teddy to me.”

“He was abused-”

John made a dismissive sound, “So what, you want to be buddy buddy with him because you both were abused as children?” It was a little bit of a guess, but he knew he nailed it when Michael’s eyes widened. “Get over it, we have work to do.”

He wasn’t sure if Michael was going to respond to that but Linc showed up over his shoulder to tug him away, giving John a serious look. If there was anyone in the room that would be his downfall it would be Sink. They both understand the criminal mind and they both would do what it took to protect what was theirs. He went back to painting after watching Theodore for a bit, making sure that he was okay. The man was single mindedly working on the hole, but he waited, sure that he knew him well enough to predict what he would do. After two or three minutes his eyes finally darted up to John, who tried to give him a reassuring look.

It only made Theodore scowl, but that was enough to tell him that he was okay, at least for now. He wanted to talk to him more, wanted to check out the bruises and the cut above his eye better, but he had to give him space. If the morning hadn’t pushed him too far, Michael’s worry probably had. If he tried to talk to him now he’d get a fight, or... more likely... he’d end up in a break down and he didn’t want that to happen there. He needed someone more private to let the man break down.

They headed to lunch after PI, and he nudged Tbag as he followed at his elbow, getting his attention. “Why don’t you sit with the Alliance today, I’ll sit with my men.”

Theodore caught his tongue between his teeth, looking up at John, and the new cuts and bruises stood out start against his skin and he hated that he knew the other inmates were going to think he did them to him. The man’s body shifted slightly, nervous, taking his time before he spoke. “You don’t want me to sit with you?”

“I’m sure you and your men have things you need to discuss.” In front of them C-Note was already in the cafeteria and he looked worse off than Tbag, and John wondered how he could make sure that people knew that was from a fight between the two men. 

“I thought you wanted me to stay with you.”

“I think that...” He trailed off, catching on. It was difficult with the man, he was good at hiding on his face what he was thinking. “Just for lunch Theodore, spend time with your men. I’ll spend time with my men.” He lowered his voice making sure no one could overhear, leaning in close, “Are you going to be okay? We can sit together if you want.”

The reassurance that it was just for lunch seemed to help and finally he nodded, giving John a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes before he turned without another word and headed towards his men. They met him with elbow bumps and shoving like children and moved to get food. A glance around to his own men and he settled with them, though he kept an eye on Theodore just to make sure he was okay.

Though normally he would have sat with his back to the room – he trusted his men to watch behind him and he preferred the break from staring at all the other dumb schmucks there were in the prison, he took a seat on the other side so he could keep an eye on Theodore. He tried not to be obvious about it, but he couldn’t help being resentful at how easy the man fell into it with his people. How relaxed and happy he looked. He waited for Theodore to look to him for reassurance, to make sure he was there, hell to make sure he was keeping him safe but the man never looked his way. And it agitated him.

“You alright John?”

Regretfully he pulled his gaze away from Theodore to his own men, and forced himself to relax. It was one lunch, there was no reason he had to worry. As soon as he had his hands on the man he knew that he would submit, that he would simper and cry for him. His hands clenched with the desire to do just that and it was easy to remember that he wasn’t a good person. For now though he turned to his men and smiled and talked and worked on all the deals they had going that really he didn’t care about because he’d be gone in a week. Didn’t hurt to have a backup plan in place though.

After they ate he expected Theodore to find him, to come to his side, but the man stuck with the Alliance and didn’t even look at Abruzzi before he headed to their bleachers, taking his spot at the top with the men scattered around him, grinning up at him and John was enraged.

All the things he wanted to do to the man ran through his head, and it had less to do with sex and more to do with violence, because how dare he ignore him like that. He put up his own mask though and went towards his normal table, keeping his back to Theodore because he didn’t care what he did.

He had all day to simmer in rage, and by the time they had reached dinner time he was fighting the urge to stalk to the man and grab him by the hair, to force him to his knees in the middle of the room no matter who was watching. He had given the man an inch and he took a mile, let him a little off the leash and it was like he had forgotten who his owner was. Until his man nudged him he didn’t realize he had stopped in the middle of the room staring at Theodore sitting at the table with his men, and at this point how much he was being ignored was going to start to hurt his own reputation and even though he knew that it wasn’t completely true, it was enough to convince him to go through with it.

Stalking towards Theodore’s table he wasn’t facing him, so he saw Theodore’s men tense and only when the man noticed that did he realize something was happening and he turned in his seat. He had an easy grin on his face, body relaxed, confident but when his eyes fell on John’s face it disappeared like it had never been there. Tbag’s hands came up defensively and he tried to talk, “John-”

He didn’t let him get any farther as he grabbed him by the arm, dragging him so suddenly out of his seat that he ended up on his knees next to the table and John’s other hand on his shoulder kept him there.

“Shut your mouth.” They stared at each other in silence and finally John’s lip curled as he pulled the man to his feet but kept his hand wrapped around his arm. He didn’t tell him what they were doing, just dragged him back to his own table, shoving him down hard into a seat.

They were the only ones at the table, his men getting their food, and he was sure they would get something for him to eat. Tbag, however, was out of luck because they had left his tray at his table, and he wasn’t planning on letting him go get it. He slid his hand up to grab the back of the man’s neck hard. He had still been sputtering, struggling to figure out what had happened and to get away but at the grip he stopped, huddling into the seat. 

John leaned in close to him, talking right against his ear, “You think you can ignore me all fucking day?”

Theodore turned his head slightly, head tilted down as he muttered, “What did I do?”

It only made him angrier, because now he felt like he was overreacting, because he hated that Theodore was so calm when he was so angry. He slid his hand up to his hair and tightened it, dragging the man’s head back, “What part of stay with me didn’t you understand Teddy?” He shoved his head forward dismissively and snarled, “I said just for lunch, don’t tell me you’re as dumb as you try to make it seem.”

The rough treatment stunned Theodore, and around them Abruzzi’s men were sitting down, eyeing the two of them, as someone pushed a tray towards John. He glanced at it but then looked back to Theodore, who was clearly confused, face scrunched up as he couldn’t decide on anger or fear or some other kind of emotion. Tbag glanced at the men around them and rubbed his chin against his shoulder before he mumbled, “I’m sorry, John.”

Apologizing in front of everyone must have killed him, and John expected real anger from him but it looked more like he was trying to figure out how to fix what had happened. An earnest look on his face and John felt like an asshole. He reached out to touch his neck again, a softer touch, and when he dropped his hand he shoved his tray towards him. “Here, I’m not hungry.”

Tbag hesitantly reached out for the tray like he thought he was going to get hit for it, and pulled it towards him. “Thank you.” The easy compliance, especially after he had just humiliated the man in front of the entire prison, reminded him that he was sure Theodore was teetering on the edge of a break down. That only that morning he had nearly made the man snap and he needed to get this under control.

Theodore was eating the food, head down, not paying much attention to anyone around them, looking lost in his thoughts. He moved a little closer and leaned down, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, da-” The word nearly slipped out and Theodore’s eyes widened before he lowered them, dropping his hands from the tray to his lap. His voice was quiet, “Yes, John.”

John watched him, ignoring the increasingly curious looks from his men, and finally reached up to tap the tray. “Finish eating Theodore.”

He obediently did, not glancing around at all. Not daring to look over at his own table. Speaking of which John glanced back that way to find the Alliance all watching them, looking like they were trying to decide if they needed to intervene or not. That he couldn’t leave alone. “Theodore, let your men know to stand down.”

He saw Tbag’s shoulders tense at that, they hadn’t really talked about it but they had implied that he wouldn’t order around Tbag’s men and he shouldn’t have to explain himself but he did. “They look like they are about to start a fight. Do you want that?”

“No, John.” Theodore turned in his seat, raising his eyes to his men and made a motion with his hand and the tension at the table relaxed, though the men still looked unhappy. Tbag sighed and turned back around to his tray. Things had already gone to shit so he dropped his hand to Tbag’s thigh and stroked it, trying to soothe him as he went back to normal business with his men. 


	10. That's my good boy

By the time they were in their cells for the night every muscle in Tbag’s body was wound tight, ready to snap. There was open cell time but Theodore headed straight into their cell like he knew that he would. The man sat on the floor in the back and pulled his knees up, looking towards the wall. John moved into the doorway, blocking it off from anyone, standing guard over the man. 

The only thing that kept Michael from harassing him was that he must need to work in their cell, otherwise he was sure the man would probably be trying to lecture him more. Maybe one of these days he’d find himself walking into a crowbar to the knee.

Other inmates were curious though, moving near enough to the cell that they were trying to look, yelling things to try to start something. John let his scowl send most of them off, there weren’t many in the place that would want to start with him. Not that it would entirely matter, any of these punks could try to tame Tbag like he had, but they wouldn’t be successful. No, that was something that was all him, something only he could do. 

He had never looked so forward to night count and lock up before. He needed to talk to Teddy, needed to let him have his break down, needed to get the confused feelings he was having settled. They were only days away from escape and maybe it was just the stress getting to him that was making everything go so sideways. The man pushed to his feet and came out to stand next to him at count, hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders hunched and he didn’t talk at all or look at anyone. Above them Michael was staring down at them, but John watched Sucre grab his arm and pull him back into the cell, talking to him, hopefully trying to get some sense talked into that thick fucking head.

After the guard passed they moved back into the cell, and it felt like a lifetime that he had been dealing with this rather than the few days. “Sit on the bed.” He just didn’t want Theodore curled up on the floor and the man barely glanced at him before he sat down on the bed. John waited to make sure that he was going to stay there and then sat next to him.

Theodore glanced up at him and then the bars, “You aren’t even going to hang the sheet now?”

“I’m not fucking you now.” Neither of them missed the _now,_ it had slipped into his words without his consent, but it was true. “We need to talk.”

“I didn’t know you were angry, John. That you wanted me to come back, you told me to go with my men.”

“Just for lunch. I did say that.” 

“I wasn’t trying to... I figured you wanted to talk to your men and if you wanted me around you, then you’d come get me.” He scuffed his foot on the ground, “Usually when you get told to go you stay gone until you’re wanted again. If you want to avoid the uh, consequences.”

John struggled to hold on to his rage, to be indignant. He pressed into Theodore’s space, “And not looking at me, not coming near me, none of that was done with the idea to undermine me, Theodore? That wasn’t you playing some game to manipulate how they saw us out there?”

The man looked up to meet his eyes, and he realized that he hadn’t been this whole time, and there was rage there but it was caged tightly away. “Pretty clear to everyone how it is now, though, isn’t it?”

He flashed on what it must have looked like as he dragged Tbag to his table and he had to agree. “You pushed my hand, Theodore.”

“I didn’t do anything John!” The words were hissed, frustrated, and Tbag shoved to his feet to pace around the cell. “I didn’t _do_ anything.” Calmer this time but direct and he glanced outside the cell, licking his lips before biting his bottom one and then dropped to his knees in front of John.

It caught him completely off guard and he stiffened, prepared in case the man decided to get violent. Tbag only looked up at him, voice imploring, “If there are rules then tell me the rules John so I can follow them. I’ve spent enough of my life getting the shit kicked out of me for no reason. At least let me know what I’m getting dragged across the room for. Stop pretending like you don’t want this, right here. Me on my knees.”

It was a lot of words and he had the feeling that Tbag had thought about this all day and he couldn’t disagree with him. Couldn’t argue. Because he did want this, it wasn’t just to keep him in line, there was something else. Right now even though they were doing nothing else, the man kneeling in front of him gave him a thrill. That everyone could see him submit gave him an even bigger one. 

When he reached out Theodore didn’t pull away and he grabbed his chin, holding his head there. “I didn’t mean for that to happen like that.”

Tbag nodded, but didn’t change his body language at all, waiting for John to answer, for him to agree or disagree. He finally nodded, “I do like you like this Theodore, but it isn’t exactly something that I should want.”

Theodore threw a wary look out of the cell but then moved forward on his knees until he was closer to John, nearly touching his legs, face open and needy. “Call me... call me the other name.”

For a moment he thought that he was asking him to call him Tbag instead of Theodore but then he understood the look and stroked fingers against his jaw. “Teddy.”

He sighed, leaning in against John’s hands, not resisting at all. John stood up, grabbing Teddy’s arm to pull him with him, and pushed him to press against the back wall. He kissed him before he thought too much about it, forced open those lips, already bruised and split from the man’s complete inability to stay out of trouble. It wasn’t a nice kiss, he had done nice and gentle, this was testing what he wanted.

His hands wrapped in Teddy’s hair and held his head back painfully, pressing in hard as he kissed him. He forced the man’s tongue into submission, slammed his wrist against the wall when he tried to raise a hand to touch him. He didn’t let his sense of right or wrong interfere, just took what he wanted.

Theodore melted against him, moaning and pressing against him, giving in every bit as John pushed him. It made him want more, and he shoved a leg in between Tbag’s, shoving them apart and was just really leaning in to it when a baton slammed into the bars.

He yanked back and whirled to face whoever was there, blocking Theodore from view. It was Bellick, grinning lewdly at them, and he snarled out, “What do you want?”

“Easy lovebirds, I won’t keep you from the little lady for long.”

Automatically he reached out to keep Tbag pressed against the wall but the man hadn’t moved, didn’t seem riled at all by Bellick’s words, and John moved forward, “What do you want Bellick?”

He glanced behind John at Tbag, smirking at him, before he looked back to John. “Just wanted to check on that thing you wanted, everything is all set.”

John’s mouth twisted and he waved the man away, dismissive. He knew that it really had been about rattling his cage, about taunting Tbag, but it was pointless to do anything else about it. The man left without another word, though his look said everything he didn’t, and John turned back to Tbag.

He was right where he had left him, pressed against the wall, arms down by his sides, legs spread apart, lips red and swollen. He meant to say something but instead he stalked to him and moved back against his body, uncaring of who could see. Christ he wanted this. 

His dick was hard and he could feel the other man hard against him, and he wanted to fuck him. All the reasons not to seemed hard to grasp and he pulled him off the wall and slammed him down onto the bed, manhandling the smaller man until he was pushed up on it and he could press over him. There was a small struggle against him that he ignored, but when it got more insistent he finally pulled back, growling against his throat, “If you think I’m going to stop Teddy-”

“The sheet John.” The words were barely whispered, desperate, and it took John a moment to understand what he was saying. Even once he did he looked up at the sheet and back to Tbag but didn’t move. 

“John... please.” 

It wasn’t that he was refusing to drop the sheet, it was just slow to process when his dick was throbbing and all he wanted to do was get on with it. He leaned down to bite hard at the man’s neck, listening to him whimper and whine, his body rocking against John’s and he forgot for a moment that he was supposed to be pulling the sheet.

He reached for the zipper on Tbag’s pants, pulling it down and shoving his hand down them, finding the man hard, precum already dripping and stroked him what he could confined in his pants. Tbag panted and thrust against his hand, head thrown back.

It was good but he wanted more, “Let’s get these off.” He started to tug at his pants when Theodore grabbed his hand, stopping him.

The man had been so compliant the resistance grated him and he looked up, and knew that the anger was on his face, more anger than really fit the situation, and at the look Tbag dropped his hand like it burned and whimpered out, “Please.”

He was already touching him, what was the man begging for? Tbag’s eyes were looking past him, out the cell, and he remembered the sheet. God, he was such an asshole. He shoved off the bed, ignoring that it made Tbag flinch... ignoring that Tbag flinching made him harder, and grabbed the sheet to drop it, giving them the relative privacy that could be had in prison.

“Thank you-”

He cut the man off as he grabbed his pants and yanked them off in one rough pull, nearly pulling him off the bed with them. Tbag made a small sound as he pushed back on the bed, uncertainty and lust warring on his face. John grabbed the tshirt Tbag was wearing and pulled on it so he was sitting up and instead of pulling it off he grabbed it and ripped, and it gave like butter under his hands.

At the show of strength, the violence, the nervousness was winning and Tbag pushed further back on the bed like he was trying to get away. John grabbed his ankle and yanked him back to him though and caught him under the knees, bending them up as he pressed over him, grinding his denim covered cock into Tbag’s bare one, making him bite out a pained sound even as he ground up against him.

He wasn’t going to fuck him again fully dressed, not this time, and he pulled off his shirt while he still pinned him down. He helped Theodore get off the scraps that were left of his shirt and then they were pressed chest to chest. Like this, so close to each other, it was so obvious how much smaller the other man was than him. Theodore _felt_ small under his hands and John kissed him as his hands slid down his sides. At his hips he grabbed him, thumbs stroking over the skin there, and when he pulled back from the kiss Theodore looked less nervous, like he was settling in to it. 

The man’s cock was up against his stomach, twitching, begging to be touched and he stroked him a few times before he stood up, reaching for his own pants. He had just gotten them down to his thighs when he focused on Tbag lying there, naked and flushed. “Come here.” The man sat up and John grabbed him by his hair and pulled him forward, Tbag obediently taking his cock down his throat. 

Gripping his hair tight he thrust, making Tbag gag and holding him down when he struggled. He could see the man’s cock going soft, knew that he was being too rough, but couldn’t bring himself to stop. He didn’t want to cum that way though so after a few more thrusts he used his hold to shove him backwards, watching the man sprawl on the bed again, lips swollen as he wiped away his own drool. He looked angry now and John grinned at it, feeling a responding twitch of his dick. He met his eyes, staring him down as he pushed his pants down, kicking them away.

He could have pulled him back to him but he had a point to make, and he tilted his head, pointing at the bed in front of him. “Get back here.”

The struggle was clear on his face, his hands clenched against the bed and when Theodore tilted his head down and moved forward until he was in front of John he knew that he had broken something. In for a penny... He ran a hand through his hair and murmured, “That’s my good boy.” His fingers tugged a little, making Theodore look up so he could make sure he was right. “Daddy’s good boy, right Teddy?”

He was nodding, and John thought he might have answered but his voice was so quiet that he couldn’t hear it. John leaned over him and ran a hand up his thigh before he reached his cock, stroking him until he was hard again, until he pressed into it. 

He pushed the man until he was flat on his back and used the precum from Teddy’s cock to coat his fingers and hoisted one leg up again, and shoved in two fingers without any warning. Theodore cried out though his hands came up to muffle it and John knew that it probably hurt, but he didn’t let up, thrusting his fingers and stretching him out. 

Finally he pulled his fingers out and reached under the mattress for the slick that he had stashed there, though he was tempted to fuck him dry. To fuck him until he screamed and bled and the urge was so strong that he had to wait a moment, looking down at the man, or he might go through with it. Theodore’s face was open. Scared. Needy. Because of him.

He grabbed the slick and edged Theodore’s legs apart until he was settled between them and knelt on the bed, leaning over him until he could slide his hands under Theodore’s head, cradling it. “Come on Theodore, stay here with me.” He had broken him, broken _something_ in him, but he needed the man to get a hold on himself before he did this. The way he was now he felt dirty fucking him.

“Daddy?”

“No, come on.” He tightened his hands to give him a little shake. “John. Come on.”

Theodore licked his lips and winced, but his eyes finally focused on John and though it took time, took John calmly stroking the back of his head, he tilted his head down a little. “John.”

He nodded at the name, that he had Theodore back with him, and he slicked up his cock before slamming into him, scrambling to cover Theodore’s mouth as he screamed, body pulling away at the rough entrance but John gave him nowhere to go.

There was no relenting as he moved his hand from his mouth to grab the man’s knees and pushed them up, leaning his whole body in to the fucking, watching the grimace twisting Theodore’s face. With John’s hand gone Theodore threw his own arm across his face, biting down on his arm to keep from making any noise, or at least too much noise. Though the block had surely heard that first scream, and there was no mistaking it for anything other than what it had been. A bitch being used hard.

The thought made his hips thrust harder and Tbag grunted, eyes squeezed shut. John shifted his weight though, moving until he hit that spot and he knew he had when Theodore’s eyes flew open, scrambling to grab the side of the bed with his other hand. Now that he knew the angle he relentlessly pounded against his prostate, the muffled sounds making it past his arm so nice to his ears. Actually he would like more of that and he let go of Theodore’s legs, which wrapped around him instantly, keeping him close, and knocked his hand away from his mouth. “I want to hear you, Teddy.”

Let the entire block know how much Teddy enjoyed getting fucked by him, let them listen to what he was sure would end up being begging. He enjoyed the thought of Michael dwelling on it up in his cell, because fuck if he didn’t like to get under college boy’s skin.

“Daddy?” Theodore reached for him, trying to tug him closer, trying to get his attention back and he realized he hadn’t been paying attention to him, lost in thought. Before he could say anything Tbag spoke again, voice a little stronger, “John, please.”

His hand was around Theodore’s cock before his mind even caught up with the plea, stroking him in time with the thrusts and the man was getting louder, whines and pleases coming out his mouth. Little pants of huffed air. In the distance John could hear at least one inmate tell them to shut the fuck up, someone tell him that they got it and maybe try a gag next time, and he moaned, fucking his Theodore. His. Only his.

“I’m gonna cum.”

His hand stopped and when Theodore scrambled to get his own hand around his cock he slapped it away, “Not till I say.”

Theodore whined but his hands hit the bed on either side of his head, grabbing on to the blankets and shoving his lower body down on to John’s cock, trying for more friction. His own cock bobbed against his stomach, precum leaking in a sticky trail, his cock nearly purple he was so close.

John briefly thought about not letting the man cum, about holding him down and filling his ass with his spunk, and then not allowing him his own release. Forcing him to go to sleep hard and needy and it was what nearly pushed him over. His hand found Theodore’s cock again, stroking hard, “Cum for me Teddy.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Teddy was coming. Jizz landed on his stomach, his chest, his body spasming with the force of the orgasm, making him clench around John inside him.

It pulled him over and he grabbed on to those hips hard, shoving his cock as deep as he could, just taking in Theodore writhing around him. He rocked his hips, intentionally hitting that spot inside and Tbag moaned and shifted his weight, his already spent cock twitching painfully. He felt like he could stay like that forever, teasing the man below him who seemed too sated to move.

Despite the harshness during the fucking he let go of his legs and leaned over him to nuzzle against the side of his jaw, his neck, licking and sucking, gently biting, every inch of skin he could reach. Theodore made an odd content sound, a rumbling in his chest that sounded like a purr, and John grinned against him. 

If he looked at the man’s face he knew he would get his hackles up, or at least he thought he would. He wasn’t sure how much damage he had done to him, but his gut told him that something had snapped that there was no repairing. Either way he spoke against his neck, keeping his body over the man, keeping him pinned down. He understood it made Theodore feel safe, the same thing that had scared him before. Being safe meant letting your guard down, it made you weak, but he’d protect Theodore. His Teddy could feel safe with him.

“That’s my good boy.” He nuzzled him more, enjoying the affection. “We’re not going to play around with this anymore, you’re mine. You stay by my fucking side.” He felt Theodore’s hands come up and he grabbed his wrists to press them back down. “I’m going to keep you safe and you’re going to stay right by my side and I’ll take good care of you.” He pressed an open mouth kiss against his neck. “Do you understand Teddy?”

“John, I don’t need-”

He bit down on his neck, and he knew it had to hurt, the man was already covered in bruises and bite marks, and he fell silent just as he hoped he would. “I’ve been real nice so far Teddy, do you want me to show you that I don’t have to be?”

“No, daddy.”

He nodded and took his teeth off him, satisfied with the answer. “Do you understand, Teddy?”

“Yes.”

“Good, good boy.” He pulled back, eyeing the man with his eyes averted, and when he pulled out he caught the wince on his face. He patted his thigh softly, comforting him, stroking him to soothe him. “You’re okay.” Tbag shifted and it made the cum slide down his thighs, leaving the man covered in both of their cum. John reached down and ran his hand through the cum on his stomach, coating his fingers before he reached up Tbag’s mouth, tapping on his lips. 

Tbag opened his mouth to suck the fingers, licking them clean, and John felt more content than he had in a long time. He pulled his fingers out with a wet pop, stroking them over those lips a few times. “I’ll take good care of you. You’re safe now, you understand?”

Tbag’s mouth thinned and he tucked his head down, but mumbled. “Yes.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“No one is safe here, John.” 

It made him smile and he leaned down to press his lips to his in a gentle kiss, barely there, “You are safe. I’ll protect you. Let me take care of you Teddy.”

He left the man thinking about that as he got up and moved to the sink. He got a towel and wiped himself off before wetting it and moving back to wipe down Tbag. For a moment it felt like something he would have done with his wife, and it should have made him uncomfortable but it was calming. It was familiar. It was what he needed, to have someone to take care of.

By the time he was done Theodore had pushed up to his elbows, head tilted as he watched him curiously, that spark that made Tbag the annoying shit head that he was finally present. “Why thank you John, aren’t you a gentleman.”

It felt like a game that they played. The mask was back up, only it wasn’t a mask he realized. It was just how the man was, and he just managed to bring out another side of him. He eyed him, trying to gauge how easy it would be to break him. To make it crumble. Tbag eyed him back, and they had a standoff but John gave in. Theodore’s shoulders went back a little at that but John let him have it. 

“Come on, get dressed.”

John pulled on his shorts and watched Tbag pull on his shirt and his own shorts before he pulled him to his feet. He pressed him against the bunks and spoke against his ear, “You aren’t going to like this.”

Theodore tried to ask him what was going on but John only fisted his hands in the shirt and pulled him towards the bars. He grabbed the sheet and yanked on it, dropping it, before he slammed Theodore hard against the bars. It knocked the wind out of him, a panicked yelp escaping, and pressed his body against his to hold him there. He grabbed his wrist and pushed them down and snarled at his ear, “Hold the bars.”

Tbag’s lip curled, but he grabbed the bars like he was supposed to and John leered at him. His eyes went up over the man and there were so many people watching them and he knew that Tbag was his, hook line and sinker. He looked up to Michael and the man was at the bars, holding on to them, glaring down and John leaned forward to whisper to Tbag without taking his eyes off Michael. “Your Pretty is watching.”

Tbag tried to turn his head to look but John grabbed his jaw, pulling it forward again, squeezing until there would be bruises. “You don’t need to see him.”

“John-”

He kissed him suddenly, rough again like he couldn’t make up his mind of what he wanted, forcing the man’s head back against the bars and he kept at it until Tbag gave in and stopped trying to pull away, until he moaned.

Yea, however this had started out Theodore was his bitch now. Another glance up to Michael and he was gone from the bars. Good. He looked down to Tbag and there was a twinge of regret because the man looked so distraught, body tensing in a way that he was sure he wanted to look behind him, but John had said no. He relented finally, backing up, and tilted his head towards the bed. Tbag slunk past him to the sink, brushing his teeth and dawdling for a bit before he moved to his bed.

John waited until he lay down before he moved to the bed and nudged him, “Move over.”

“What?”

He nudged him again with his knee, “Roll on your side and move over.”

Tbag gave him an awkward half grin, “What?”

The real confusion on the man’s face made him relax, “You sound like an idiot. Turn on your side and move over.”

Tbag was suspicious and glanced out of the cell but must have realized the same thing John did. He’d gone too far for it to matter now. He turned on his side and scooted to the side of the bed, facing the wall. 

A wave of affection filled John and he crawled into the bed behind the man, they weren’t supposed to sleep in the same bed but he was sure that Bellick wouldn’t start with him. He fit against the man like he was meant to be there, wrapping one arm around his waist and pulling them tight together. Tbag was tense, but eventually he relaxed into it, pressing in to the hold, huddling against him.

John stroked his side, pressed together shoulder to knees, and pressed a kiss to his neck. “Go to sleep Teddy, I’ll take care of you.”

The way they were laying Theodore was blocked from the population seeing him, tucked away where it could be just the two of them. He knew when Theodore fell asleep and he pressed in as close as he could, tucking his head against his hair, twining their legs together and it felt so good to fall asleep next to someone again.


	11. Like A Tiger in a Cage

For the first time in months it was count that woke John up, and not his mind running nonstop. The commotion outside the cell roused him and he stretched, and realized he was still wrapped tight around Tbag, who was sound asleep. Apparently the man didn’t have any nightmares and he nuzzled against the back of his neck for a moment before he remembered where they were. 

He pulled him closer, sighing, because he would like to stay right here. Of course, pressed together the way they were meant his morning boner was snuggled up against the man’s ass and he couldn’t help rocking his hips a little, grinding against him. 

Theodore murmured something sleepily and ground back against him, slow to wake up. He pulled away before the bars opened, he didn’t want to be harder on the man than he had to be and he knew how he would feel waking up like that. Once he was on his feet he leaned down and grabbed his shoulder, shaking him. “Teddy, come on boy.”

The man groaned and tucked tighter into a ball, arm coming up to cover his face and Abruzzi couldn’t help the smile. He shook him a little harder, “Theodore.”

Finally he untucked from the tight ball, rubbing at his face as he rolled on to his back, stretching. He drowsily looked around before he landed on John, and the awareness kicked in full gear, making his eyes widen. He scrambled to sit up, fingers twined in the blanket. “John.”

“No nightmares?”

He shook his head, glancing wildly around the cell. He wasn’t out of it, just mostly asleep and John stepped closer, reaching out to brush against his cheek, watching the man turn his head into it. Theodore sighed and muttered, “You slept down here all night?”

“Best night of sleep I’ve had since I got here.” He stepped back, giving Theodore room to pull himself to his feet and get his bearings. Tbag glanced out of the cell and his face fell, but he didn’t say anything, just went about getting ready for the morning. It was like he had given up.

“Theodore.”

“The other name.”

John tilted his head as he looked at him, not sure what the man was going for. It had almost sounded like an order but there was an underlying plea to it and he wished he understood why it mattered. He softened his voice, “Teddy?”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?

“Yes, John.” He wouldn’t look at him though, and John moved closer, crowding him against the sink. Tbag looked up in the mirror to meet his eyes before he looked back down. There was a sigh and then he turned to face John, leaning against the sink. “What do you want from me John?”

“I don’t know.” It was honest at least. And it was selfish. He had forced Theodore’s hand, had shattered any chance of him gaining his reputation back, he didn’t have a right to be indecisive. 

“Fantastic.” He didn’t even have a chance to respond to the snark when Tbag flinched and mumbled, “Sorry,” as he turned away. 

“Come here.” He moved up against him without any further prompting, and when John stood there waiting he tilted his head up, meeting his eyes. John held them, “A few more days and then we’ll be out of here and none of this will matter.”

Hurt flashed in Theodore’s eyes but it was covered up quickly and that smirk covered his face, “If you say so, John.”

It wasn’t difficult to understand the look, to know what he was thinking, and he reached out to wrap a hand around the back of his neck. “None of it will matter to the prison. We’ll be out of here. And I plan on keeping you with me.”

“What?”

“Unless you have somewhere else to go?”

Tbag tilted his head like a puppy and squinted at him, but before they could talk more the bars were open and they had to move out for count. If they waited for a guard to call them they would attract more attention, not that it mattered now. They had already attracted about as much as they possibly could.

Theodore leaned against the bars, keeping his chin up even if the tension in his shoulders told John how upset he was, how nervous. John leaned his shoulder against the bars and turned towards Theodore, partially blocking him from view, making a pretty strong gesture about protecting him. Instead of being upset about it as Teddy probably would have been the day before the man just moved closer turning his head to look at John. They shared a smile before both looking to the guard. 

Geary eyed them, though he looked more bored than anything. His eyes scanned over Theodore, but moved on quickly and John was just glad that it wasn’t Bellick. He knew that he wouldn’t have left it alone.

Heading to breakfast John was amazed that _still_ the Alliance fell in behind them, behind their leader, and they really were dumb. Tbag glanced back at them, clearly surprised, before a hesitant smile found its way to his face. He fist bumped with them, and rough housed a little, though he stayed at John’s side.

In the cafeteria after they got their food Theodore hesitated but John grabbed his elbow and kept them moving towards the Alliance table. He couldn’t take the man’s fidgeting and sulking at his table another meal, and he didn’t want to be separated from him. He had a brief thought of their tables both sitting together but dismissed that quickly. 

Tbag perked up at that and settled in to the chair next to John, the Alliance members sitting around them, and they didn’t seem the least bit fazed that their leader had been turned out, that he was getting fucked up the ass. They still looked at Tbag like he was their idol and John took a moment to appreciate that. Even the bitches that Tbag had turned out had still clung to him, look at Maytag. Maybe not all of them but those ones didn’t stick around long. He was enigmatic, and he still clearly ruled his men. Maybe they weren’t dumb, maybe they were just loyal. More loyal than his men, who had turned on him in a second.

Michael and Sucre were watching him intently, and he needed to have this out, preferably without Tbag at his side because talking around him, talking about him over his head, was just a dick move. He leaned in close to the man, who automatically leaned too, turning to look at him. John tilted his head towards Michael, “I need to go talk to him, I’ll be right back.”

Theodore glanced that way and then back to John, “Should I be there too?” It wasn’t a question of a bitch, wasn’t someone asking if their place was at his side. No, that was the tone of someone that was worried about being left out, that was used to having to fight tooth and nail for his place and John reached out to touch his shoulder. “Don’t worry, I promise you will not get left out of anything. It doesn’t have to do with that. Just another issue him and I have.”

“Me.” Tbag wasn’t dumb and John kicked himself for buying in to the dumb redneck act and forgetting that he knew better. 

“Yes.”

Tbag licked his lips, biting down on the tip of his tongue while he thought about it before he nodded, “Okay.” And turned back to his men.

John couldn’t help the sharp bark of a laugh that made its way out and he placed one hand on the table leaning over Theodore. “Did you just give me permission?”

Tbag only shrugged, but John could see the corner of his mouth lifted up in a grin, and he reached up to squeeze the back of his neck, a playful warning, before he turned and headed to talk to Michael.

The man straightened when he reached the table, glaring, and John glanced back once at Theodore to make sure that he was okay before he sat down, crossing his arms on the table. “Let’s deal with this right now.”

Michael’s mouth twisted and he turned towards the man in question, “I don’t like what you’re doing.”

“You don’t have to.”

C-note slid in to a seat next to him and that wasn’t part of the plan, the man speaking before John could tell him to fuck off. “Sounds like Bagwell likes what he is doing, or were you in a different cell block last night. Should be the least of your fucking problems Scofield.”

Michael’s face turned red like he was blushing and he crossed his arms. “I didn’t stand for Tbag raping someone, I’m not going to stand for-”

“He isn’t raping me, Pretty.”

John wasn’t entirely surprised to see the man at his shoulder, especially after C-note had arrived at the table. There was no way that even telling him to stay put would have worked, not when he thought he was being left out of something. He was a survivor and he was used to fighting. John moved over so Tbag could slide into the seat next to him, with only a small glance at him let him know that Tbag wasn’t sure what John’s reception of him at the table was going to be.

He smiled at him though and looked back to Michael raising an eyebrow. Scofield’s mouth thinned but he glanced at C-note and Sucre, and at least he was smart enough not to bring up the other thing in front of people. Instead he shook his head, “Fine.” He shoved his tray away from him and stalked off, Sucre giving them an apologetic look before he followed him. Well that certainly cleared the table out. 

C-Note looked uncomfortable now, the injuries on his face front and center for everyone to see and John leaned towards him, “Did you have anything to add?”

“Nah, man.” C-note grabbed his tray and took off, leaving just the two of them at the table. They looked at each other before getting up at the same time and heading back towards the Alliance. 

Under his breath John spoke up, “I told you to stay put.”

“I had to come and defend your honor, John. Wouldn’t want them to think you were a... rapist or anything like that.”

There was an odd tone to Theodore’s voice and he threw his arm around the man’s shoulders, pulling him close, just to see what he would do. He submitted instantly, leaning against John and for a moment Tbag grabbed the bottom of John’s shirt before he let it go. That was awfully close to holding his pocket. Oh yeah, he had broken him.

The Alliance met them with loud chatter about C-Note, and Tbag only hesitated a moment before talking about how he had done it, how he had whupped that boy’s ass, and John let him go with it. Might as well. 

On the way to PI Theodore did it again, grabbing the edge of his shirt for a moment before he let it go, staying glued to his side. The man had been so agreeable John didn’t want to do anything to change it. Inside the shed Tbag leaned into him, pressing against him, keeping his head ducked down.

John wrapped an arm around him, rubbing his back absently, listening to him make a content sound as he pressed his face against John’s chest. It was how he had been acting in the cell but nowhere else. Over Theodore’s head he could see the others were watching them, eyes wide and surprised, and he was sure that he matched them. He tilted his head down, trying to keep his voice low, “Theodore, what are you doing?”

“Nothing.” One hand grabbed on to the front of his shirt, “I’m staying close.”

“Yea, you are.” He pushed him back with one hand, trying to catch his eyes. 

“We have a lot of work to do, come on everyone.” Linc’s voice boomed through the room getting everyone moving, including Tbag, and John let it go for now. Really he had nothing but time to figure the other man out. 

No one seemed like they cared, or at least they weren’t willing to bring it up, and instead they turned towards the work at hand. Teddy volunteered to take watch and John almost told him no, that he wanted him where he could see him, but that was ridiculous. Theodore glanced at him for approval and John nodded, and then the man disappeared through the door. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing Abruzzi. That’s kind of like having a trained tiger. It might be doing your tricks now, but you never know when it will turn on you.”

Theodore wouldn’t turn on him, he knew that he wouldn’t, and he shrugged at Linc. “I have him under control, just like I said I would.”

Linc shrugged, “Seems a little extreme that he would give in like that so completely. Just uh, keep an eye on him Abruzzi.”

A small bit of doubt wound through his head, because he had thought that as well, but he shoved it away. He had seen the man break, knew that he had his number. It wasn’t pretend. To dissuade his nerves he touched his chest, “Your concern warms my heart Sink.”

“You’re my ride.” 

He nodded at that and they got back to work but he glanced the way that Theodore had gone and wondered if Linc could be right. He had already gotten the man under his thumb though. That was why it seemed like he was giving in so easy. When he stared at him with that look, when he called him daddy, that was authentic. He shook off the doubt. He couldn’t let it fester in his head or he would feel like he had to take it out on the man, and he had done enough of that already. If he pushed any harder, if he forced anymore, then he wasn’t sure what would happen. Didn’t want to find out what would happen.

They were at a good place now, and John planned on keeping it that way. 


	12. Keep You Safe

They settled into a pretty good system over the next two days. They sat with the Alliance for breakfast and dinner, with John’s men for lunch, and during yard time they split up. John didn’t need to watch everything that Theodore did, the man could protect himself, but he still followed him to the bleachers, made sure he was settled, and left him with a possessive touch to his back or neck before he went to his own people.

There had only been one real hiccup, an inmate that had tried to start with Theodore but John had ended it before it started, and him and Tbag had been out of there before the man had even bled out. Word traveled though, and it seemed to occur to everyone that instead of Tbag being weak because he had given in to Abruzzi, it just made the two of them more dangerous. 

John touched him as much as he could, whenever he was near, his hands always on him. Tbag leaned in to it, responding well, and once they were in their cell and the sheet was down he responded enthusiastically. The night before was still fresh in John’s mind as they finished up dinner, and his cock was hard just thinking about it. He wanted to grab the man and force him down in the middle of the cafeteria, push him to his knees, have that mouth wrapped around his-

“John?”

He startled out of the daydream, reaching down to adjust himself, before looking at Theodore. They were all standing, waiting to leave, and Tbag’s gaze dropped down to his crotch, and he thought the man blushed. John reached out to wrap his hand around Tbag’s wrist and squeezed it hard, and then shoved to his feet. 

Tbag licked his lips and bit his tongue, hiding a grin, “You uh, coming John?”

He dropped the wrist to grab the man’s hips, and only pulled back when he realized the cafeteria was clearing out and a guard was eyeing them. He gave Theodore a shove towards the exit. The man moved, waiting until he was next to John before they headed back towards their cell.

They spent open cell time on the second tier in Michael’s cell, listening as he explained what they were going to have to do, all of them crowded into the tiny cell and they would worry about being conspicuous if they weren’t so close to leaving. His hand was on Tbag’s back, rubbing it while they listened, and he watched the man come in and out of focus, lulled into a relaxed state by the touch.

When they got back to their cell they would have to talk about what would happen after they escaped. He planned on keeping Tbag with him, he wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to do it, but he had made up his mind. Every time it came up though Tbag seemed to avoid it, but tonight John planned on forcing the issue. 

The guards were calling for count and he stood up, grabbing Theodore by his arm to pull him to his feet, holding on to his elbow as they headed back to their own cell. They stood outside it, waiting for the guards, and John wasn’t happy to see Bellick was the one working. There was no way he’d get past without riling up Theodore.

He was right, of course. Bellick stopped in front of them and Theodore didn’t back down, shoulders back and chin up which only seemed to incite the man. The guard pulled his eyes from Theodore to Abruzzi and made a motion at him, “Want to try to keep it down tonight Abruzzi, I’m getting complaints that your cellmate is keeping everyone up with his screams.”

Tbag scoffed and kicked his foot, rolling his eyes, but the set of his shoulders told John that the guard’s mocking still got to him. John was going to answer, to say something to shut the man up but Theodore beat him to it, “Jealous Brad? When’s the last time you made anyone scream like that?”

Bellick moved towards him aggressively, hand going to his baton, but John stepped forward not quite blocking him off, but close. The two of them eyed each other before Bellick glanced around the assorted inmates and sneered, “Get back in your cell.”

John nodded, that was where he wanted to be anyways, and waited for Tbag to head in before he followed him. He was proud the man was still giving it back, and he brushed against his neck once they were in there. 

“I’d like to stick that pig right in his eye.”

He hadn’t expected something that angry and he eyed him, wondering if he misjudged how Theodore was taking everything. He submitted fine, he seemed to accept what was going on, but there were shining moments of rebellion and anger that peeked through that had John a little worried. He tested it, crowding in close to him, watching him duck his head and drop his hands, waiting to see what John was doing.

With a frown he backed off, not sure why his gut was telling him something was wrong. Theodore could be quite the con man, he knew that, he wasn’t dumb, but this was sincere. 

“You alright John?”

“Hmm?”

Tbag licked his lips and dropped down to his bunk, leaning back on his elbows, relaxed. “You look like you’re thinking real hard about something.”

“You.”

“Ah.” Tbag shifted his weight and there was a tension up his shoulders, “Did I do something?”

“When we leave here Teddy, we have to talk about that.”

Theodore’s hands moved behind his head as he leaned against the wall of his cell. “I figured you’d go your way John, and I’d go mine.”

“You’re going to come with me.”

Tbag’s head tilted that little bit, jaw clenching, before he relaxed. “And do what John? Be your mistress?” There was humor in his voice and he shifted his weight to look out of the cell, rocking to his feet and moving to the bars, hanging out of them.

“I’m going to make sure you will be okay when we get out – I’ll-”

“I’ll be fine John.” He kicked the bars, and called out to one of the Alliance, laughing at their response before he turned back to John, wincing at the look on his face. “You aren’t thinking straight John, you don’t want Theodore Bagwell tagging along with you. Around your business... around your family?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth John rushed forward, catching him off guard and slamming him face first against the bars, the sound ringing out through the cell block. He struggled for a moment but settled there and John grabbed his hair to tilt his head back, snarling in his ear, “Is that a threat?”

“No, John.” He whimpered and tried to shift his weight to ease off the pressure at the bars. “You see your reaction though. You don’t want me around.”

“Yes I do.” He tightened his hold until it hurt and then licked at Theodore’s neck, sucking on it, biting as he ground against his ass. “I want to keep you by my side.”

Theodore sighed and pressed back against John, leaning his forehead against the bars when John let go of his hair. “We’ll see John.”

He slid arms around his stomach and pulled them together before he let go and backed off, letting Teddy do his nightly ritual of talking shit with everyone in the block. He pulled himself up to his bunk and pulled out a book, keeping himself busy while he waited for lights out. A few times he glanced over the book at Theodore, watching him, before he went back to reading. It was hard to ignore the man.

At lights out like a Pavlovian response John’s dick was hard and he slid to the edge of his bunk, waiting for Theodore to turn away from the bars. It almost seemed like he was putting it off, dawdling and John made an impatient sound.

Theodore immediately pulled away from the bars, reaching out to grab the sheet and let it drop before he turned to face him, a lewd grin on his face. He moved towards John with an easy grace, all lithe muscle and sleek body until he was between John’s legs, resting his hands on his thighs and looked up at him.

John’s hands went to his hair immediately, fisting in it, pulling him closer. He let go with one hand to reach down to undo his pants, pulling his cock out. “Come on Teddy, suck.”

He leaned down and licked at the tip of John’s cock, wrapping his tongue around the tip before he sucked down, going slow and lapping at John like he was candy. He directed his head with the hand in his hair, pushing him down farther than he went on his own, making him move faster, rocking his hips up against him to make him gag.

Theodore took it all, and that alone was enough to turn him on, to bring him close. He growled out, “You’re my good boy aren’t you Teddy, my good little cocksucker?”

There was an affirmative sound from around his cock and he closed his eyes for a moment before he shoved him back, slipping down from his bunk to the ground to grab him and pull him against him.

Just as he suspected he was met with a hard cock against his own, and he slammed his mouth down over Theodore’s to lick inside his mouth, covering every inch of him, reveling in the knowledge that he knew he could do whatever he wanted to the man and he would let him.

He backed him up until they were at the wall and then grabbed one of his legs to hike it up over his hip and the man wrapped his other leg around him, only the wall and John’s arms holding him up, and he was reminded that the man was smaller. He groaned and rocked against him, finally setting him down so he could undo his pants, shoving them down Tbag’s thighs, freeing his cock.

Dragging him across the cell he pushed him down over the bed, the man stumbling and landing on his stomach, kicking off his pants as he moved up to the bed onto his hands and knees. John wasted no time, slicking himself up and settling behind him, lining up his cock. He didn’t prepare him first, even though he should have, he just wanted to be fucking him.

His cock slid in to a pained sound from Tbag, the man dropping his head to his arms to bury the sounds. He kept pushing until he was balls deep in the man and reached around to grab his cock, stroking him hard in time with his thrusts. Despite the pain the man was still hard, still rocking in John’s grip. He wrapped an arm around his chest and pulled him up, shifting them until they lay across the bed and he pressed Theodore flat against it, his own knees pressing the man’s legs apart further. It let him thrust harder, and he pinned Tbag down against the bed, the man trying unsuccessfully to get friction on his cock, but he finally gave up, moaning against his arm.

John wanted to hear him, but he had the feeling that Theodore had about as much exposure as he could handle for the time being, and let him keep his face buried. He could fuck him all night, getting it regular for just a few days and he was settling in nicely to it.

He wouldn’t drag it out though and he gripped his hips to piston into him, leaning completely over him so he could press his face between his shoulders, against the back of his head, into his hair, and when he came he bit down, growling against his back. 

Once he stopped cumming he laid there for a moment, but the fidgeting under him reminded him that Theodore still hadn’t cum, and the whines were definitely pleading. He pulled out and rolled over, pulling Tbag with him, until he was leaning against the wall with Tbag settled between his legs, his back to his chest. 

The man strained against him and he wrapped his arms around him, stroking his dick with one hand, swiping his thumb over the tip, spreading the pre cum. Theodore’s head lulled back against his shoulder, hips rocking up into John’s hand. Intentionally he slowed his hand, watching as Theodore got more and more agitated, trying to rock his hips to get more friction and when he reached with his own hand John knocked it away.

“Just enjoy it Theodore.” 

A whine was his answer and he slowed his hand even more until Tbag relaxed back against him, letting him take control of it. As a reward he sped his hand up, his other hand going up to cover Theodore’s mouth to muffle the sounds he was making. He could tell when he was close, so close, and again he had that desire to make the man go to sleep like that. A cold need to prove how dominant he was and he pulled his hand away from the man’s cock completely, wrapping it around his stomach to hold him in place.

For the first several seconds Theodore didn’t do anything but whine and shift his weight but as the time went on he moved more and when John finally dropped his hand he begged, “Please, John.”

“Shhh.” He held him harder to keep him from moving, and watched the man’s cock twitch, purple and swollen and so close to cumming it must be painful. 

“John, John, please...”

He stroked the man’s chest, trailing down to his stomach and the inside of his thighs but didn’t touch his cock and the pleases turned into whimpers, hips rocking, trying to get leverage. 

When finally he went still, stopped fighting, John moved his hand back to his cock and stroked him fast and hard. The man barely had time to catch up to the fact that John was touching him again when he was cumming, the frantic moan not muffled at all, and John stroked him through the orgasm, keeping it up until Tbag was shaking, body lax.

He wiped his hand off on the sheets and then wrapped both arms around him again, holding them together as he leaned his head down on his shoulder, “Good boy, such a good boy Teddy.” His arms tightened just a bit. “My good boy.”

“Yes, daddy.” Dazed from the orgasm, from the build up with his body lax Theodore was like a rag doll against him, pressing against his warmth. 

John moved them until the man was lying in the bed and pulled the blanket up around him. “You’re safe Teddy, I got you. Close your eyes, I’ll get the sheet in a minute and we’ll get dressed.” He curled up around his back still naked, pressed skin against skin, and figured he would lay there for a moment before he got up and pulled down the sheet, but cocooned in warmth and his boy safe in his arms he was asleep in no time.


	13. Honeymoons Over

“Count!”

Abruzzi shot awake when Bellick ripped down the sheet, slamming the baton against the bars, making a disgusted face at the two of them in bed together. “Rise and Shine love birds!”

Shit. Everyone was up, was looking, and here he was still curled around a naked Tbag, who was snoring. Well, at least he wasn’t sucking his thumb. He rolled to his feet, giving the man a shake as he did so, hoping to wake him up and get him dressed without too much attention. 

His pants were already on when Tbag finally started to wake up and the man looked around in confusion before realizing he was naked in bed, still covered in cum from the night before.

He slunk out of bed to cat calls and whistles and pulled on the pants that John threw him. It wasn’t so much being naked, they were all used to that, but there was something shameful about waking up curled around each other like that. Spooning. Fucking was one thing, but cuddling?

John tried to grab Theodore’s arm like he had been but the man yanked it away, glaring at him. It caught John off guard and he moved in closer, grabbing his arm again. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“You said you’d wake us up before morning.”

He had, but he just shrugged. “So I fell asleep, what does it matter? Everyone already knows what is going on here, Teddy.”

Theodore tugged on his arm but stopped when John tightened his hold, though the glare he sent John was so hot it could burn. Without thinking about it John’s hand flung out, slapping him across the face, outraged at his disrespect. He had hit him before, been in fights with him, but he hadn’t laid hands on him like that before. Something that was clearly discipline, something that was so public, and he watched Teddy stumble back, face betrayed.

A red hand print was quickly showing up on Tbag’s cheek but the rage was gone and he stopped pulling on his arm, so John chalked it up to a win. It was easy, too easy, but that was where they were now. They headed towards breakfast and everything was as it was supposed to be but he could feel something about Theodore’s vibe was off. Something that unsettled him.

When they reached the cafeteria he could see his men looking for him, and realized something was up. He didn’t want to do it but he gave Theodore’s arm a warning squeeze before he let go. “Go to your table. I need to go to mine. I’ll see you when we go to PI.”

Teddy nodded without looking at him, and the farther he got away from Abruzzi the more relaxed he looked and John watched that for a moment before heading to talk to his men, sure that it wasn’t anything good.

It wasn’t, of course. Theodore’s cousin that he had been using to blackmail him with, well, before John had started fucking the man he had sent people to keep an eye on him. To keep him from causing them any problems. After he had started fucking Teddy, had learned how much Tbag cared for his cousin he had reiterated that his men were not supposed to hurt him. It had gone wrong and it wasn’t just his cousin that had been killed. John’s eyes found Theodore, sitting at his table relaxed and laughing, and he had to tell him before he found out or it was going to be bad. Was going to be more than even John could control, he was sure of it.

Before he could get to his feet the guards came in though, heading straight for Theodore. When they reached him Theodore looked surprised, unsure, sending a quick glance to John as he stood up and followed the guards, surely to meet with the Warden to find out what had happened. Everything was so fucked.

He didn’t see Theodore at PI, and he quickly explained what had happened. He wasn’t happy about it but everyone needed to know what they had heading their way. The man was going to take it hard, and for Theodore that meant bloody.

They were already on guard but when Sucre whistled, letting them know a guard was coming, John was sure it meant Tbag was returning to PI.

He was right of course, the man came in with his head down, though John still got a glance at the red and swollen eyes, knew that he had been crying. Tbag moved close to Michael, asking what he was supposed to be doing, and then got to work without another word. Everyone watched him like he was going to snap but after a few minutes of him just working everyone calmed down. 

If he was honest with himself John was nervous, the man had to know who was behind it, and he expected his rage. Not this. With a quick glance around he headed towards him, wanting to know what he was going to do. For it to at least happen behind closed doors where they could mitigate the damage.

Theodore was painting and John sidled up next to him, “Theodore?”

“The other name.”

Well, he wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or not. “Teddy, are you okay?”

“You know I’m not.” His hands were shaking where he held the paint roller like he was trying to use it to steady himself. “They killed his kid. 5 years old.”

“I know.” He reached up to touch his shoulder and expected to be shoved away or for him to push it off but instead it was like his hand wasn’t even there. Theodore didn’t respond at all. “It wasn’t supposed to happen that way.”

Finally Tbag shrugged the hand off his shoulder and looked at John, and there was so much rage in that look there was no way this was going to end well. “I brought them into it, this is on me. Let’s just concentrate on escaping.”

John nodded, because that was better than he expected to get. “And what about us?” It sounded needy coming out of his mouth and he wanted to take it back but Tbag answered before he could.

“Didn’t think I had a choice, John.”

The coldness in the words cut through him and he snarled, grabbing the man’s face to turn towards him before he spit out, “You don’t.” Shoving him away he headed back to his side of the room. They would work this out, and he wasn’t sure if he was angrier at the tone the man had used with him or that he might lose him.

It didn’t get any better as they headed to the yard, he made a point of grabbing Theodore’s elbow and holding it tight, and didn’t let him go to his bleachers. The man waved down his men to stay there as he was practically dragged to John’s part of the yard, shoved down into a seat with enough force to nearly knock him over. John wasn’t sure why he was acting this way, he was the one that had fucked up, had badly hurt the other man and he should be understanding. Maybe not apologetic but at least sorry. Instead it was making him feel helpless and he wanted to lash out at him.

Tbag sat in the chair with his arms crossed, face tilted away looking down at the table, clearly unhappy. The way a bitch should look John supposed. He couldn’t leave it at that though and turned back to him, slamming his hands down on the table, “Get that fucking pout off your face before I give you a reason for it.”

Theodore startled and mumbled an apology as he eased his body language, not looking so much like he was sulking. John stayed in his space a little longer, making sure the point was made, before he turned back to his men to discuss what was going on. He ignored Tbag the entire time, really treating him like a prison bitch for the first time, and it didn’t settle well with him but he felt like he was spiraling and he didn’t know how to get back on track. Had felt like he was losing it since he realized that maybe Tbag didn’t _want_ to go with him once they escaped.

Lunchtime usually meant John’s table but once they were in the cafeteria Tbag headed with his men for his table and he reached out to grab his arm, dragging him against his body. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Get the fuck off me.” Tbag snarled the words and shoved him back, body moving like he was getting ready for a fight. John’s options were limited, if he let Tbag get away with it he’d lose face, and if he tried to force the man it was possible he would snap and John would end up shivved. 

He caught his eyes and moved towards him slowly, hands up and lowered his voice. “Teddy, relax, where’s my good boy?”

At the words the man did move, body easing slightly as he took a step towards John. He practically cooed at him like talking to a scared animal, “Come on, be my good boy Teddy. Come here.”

There was a tight moment of tension and John expected Theodore to do just that but then he took a step back and snapped out, “Fuck you John.” And turned to head back with his own men, back straight and a swagger that said he didn’t give a damn at all.

One of his men was at his elbow and they spoke quietly, “You can’t let him talk to you like that.”

“I know.” He turned away from the man though and set his mouth in a thin line, he didn’t like it but Teddy needed to be brought back under thumb. “On the way from lunch to the yard grab him, bring him to the shed, I’ll meet you there.” John was sure it would be easy, a little bit of a beating, some sweet talk and he’d have him at his beck and call again.

Theodore didn’t even look at him while they ate and he left when he was finished like he had every right too. Like he didn’t need John’s permission and his fists clenched even as he took his time getting his own stuff together to leave. His men would make sure that Tbag never made it to the yard.

By the time he reached the shed there was a low grunt of pain from inside that made his stomach clench up because he didn’t want his boy hurt, but the message had to be made. He walked in calm and confident, eyes immediately going to Tbag. They had his hands tied together, held up over his head so he couldn’t defend himself from the blows, and when John entered his eyes went to him. Wild. Panicked.

Abruzzi motioned for them to go and they shoved Tbag to the ground before they did, heading out without another word. John moved towards the man, stopping when he was right in front of him as Tbag slowly got his legs under him, moving until he was kneeling in front of John. His face was bloody, nose bleeding, lip split, jaw and eye already swelling. He held his hands against his chest, looking up without talking.

“Are you going to tell me to fuck off again Tbag?”

“You had my cousin killed you bastard-”

He cut him off with a sharp slap across the face, “We talked about that. Get over it Theodore, don’t forget what is happening here, what is at stake. Don’t forget what this is.” He grabbed him by his hair and pulled him forward until his face was in his crotch, and eyed the look he was giving him. Theodore looked like there would be murder if John tried to force him to do anything and he responded by tightening the hand in his hair. 

“Get away from me.”

“You know that isn’t going to happen.” He hoisted him to his feet and pushed him back against the table, pressing him against it. “You’re going to stop having temper tantrums and get back to being my good boy, do you understand Theodore?” The bound hands twitched and he leaned in close, desperate to have Theodore’s affection again. Desperate to have him against him. “Tell daddy you’re a good boy.”

He used the voice that triggered the man, that sent him into that submissive space, used the right words, but Theodore only leaned closer and ground out, “Fuck you John.”

The rage blinded him, that he couldn’t have _his_ Teddy and he spun him around and shoved him down over the table. He grabbed the man’s pants, the only thought that he could hold on to was that he was going to make him submit, he was going to have his good boy back. 

When Tbag realized what he was doing he tried to struggle but he was in a bad spot, much like that first time, but John had a very different intent now. Now he wanted to hurt him, wanted to break him into the little pieces like he had imagined doing so many times before.

He had the pants down around the man’s thighs and pulled down his own, trying to hold him still while he lined up his cock. He had no slick, nothing to ease the way and he didn’t want it. Under him Tbag was whimpering, begging him to stop, and it swayed him for a moment but then he was past it. He held him still and shoved his cock in, wincing at how tight it was.

Theodore screamed and he wrapped a hand around his mouth to keep him quiet, he couldn’t afford to attract attention now, and pinned him down between the shoulder blades with his other hand to hold him still. It took a few thrusts before he was able to really get in him, and he knew there was blood when he thrust out, that he had torn the man. He didn’t care, he wanted to punish him, and picked up a steady pace, rocking the smaller body into the table. 

His hand was muffling the noises but he knew the screams had tapered off into sobs, and he could feel the tears on his hands. He didn’t stop though, he had to do this. When he came he pulled out immediately, and then stood there watching blood and cum slide down the man’s thighs. He let go of him and stepped back, leaving Teddy to stand on wobbly legs and try to pull his pants up with his bound hands. As soon as they were up John reached around him to buckle them for him, making the man whimper and try to shy away from his hands. 

Spinning him around he took in the look on his face. Shattered came to mind. Theodore was cringing away from him, crying, body huddled in on itself and John wrapped a hand around the back of his head. “Are you done with this now?”

“Yes, daddy.” 

The word made him cringe but he kept pushing, “Tell me you’ll be my good boy.”

“I’ll... I’ll be your good boy, daddy.”

John searched his face, trying to read the sincerity and he finally relaxed when all he saw was that needy little thing that Tbag could be and he pulled him close, one arm around him to splay across his back, the other hand wrapped in his hair to hold him against his chest. “You know I didn’t want to do that, I don’t want to hurt you, you understand that don’t you Teddy?” He nodded against his chest and John let him go, let the man fall back to curl up on the table, clearly in pain.

He wanted to comfort him, but mostly he was relieved. He had his Teddy back, all for him. He looked down to pull up his pants, trying to get himself situated and heard Teddy get to his feet behind him. 

“John...” His voice didn’t fit, not with the sobbing mess he had just been and John just started to turn when he continued speaking, “I’m not a good boy, daddy.” There was a flash of metal in Tbag’s hand, and then John was on the ground, hands to his neck and blood spreading around him. Theodore stood over him, razor in hand, and the last thing John saw was his grinning face.

The trip to the infirmary was a blur and John was sure he was going to die. He didn’t though, he had no idea how they had saved him but they had. He had a lot of time to think while he was recovering. He wanted to plot revenge on Tbag, and if he was honest he spent some time thinking about how he would kill the man when he got back to Fox River, if they were even still there by the time he got back.

Though more time was spent regretting that he had raped him, that he had hurt him like that, because he was sure if he hadn’t that Theodore would have come around, that they would have been fine. He had pushed the man too far and the man had snapped and attacked. He couldn’t blame him for that, the violence was something that he liked in the other man. Respected.

Just preferably not aimed at him. Yes, he had a lot of time to think while he recovered, and most of it was spent on Theodore Bagwell.


	14. The Clock is Ticking

There was a familiarity in the bus ride to the Fox, and he was almost looking forward to getting there. Like going home. And he definitely needed to get out of the prison soon because that thought just made him uncomfortable. 

He followed the inmates as they got out and headed towards processing and he glanced over the yard, his eyes finding Tbag. They were all standing there, so obviously the escape hadn’t happened yet, and when he finally met Teddy’s eyes it pulled on something inside him because the man was _terrified_. He was looking at John like he had seen a ghost, and it was gratifying to see that much fear. It settled something inside him and he gave him a cold look as he headed into the prison.

Other than the fear the man looked okay, he had gotten from his men that after Tbag had attacked him he’d had one or two run ins with men that thought maybe they could turn him out like John had, and they had learned quickly that it just wasn’t going to happen like that. In the end the man’s reputation hadn’t taken much of a hit where anyone else would have been done for. There was something special about Theodore Bagwell, and Abruzzi feared he was caught in that pull.

He caught up with Michael before he did anything else, found out what was going on, made sure that the plan was still in motion and that he was still part of it. He shouldn’t have worried, it sounded like they had some hiccups while he had been gone, and it sounded like his Teddy had really stepped up to help the team which came as a bit of a surprise.

Almost as much of a surprise as that he still thought of him as _his_ Teddy. He kept an eye on him, watching the man in the yard, and realized that they were still cell mates when he was brought back and directed to Tbag’s cell. His cell. He would have to catch up with him after lunch and settle what was going on, make sure that he was okay. Otherwise it would end up with one of them dead, and he didn’t like it, but it wouldn’t be him. He owed the other man blood, though to be fair he supposed he had started that when he fucked him till he bled. 

Waiting to go to lunch John watched the group from PI walk in. He was sitting on the bottom bunk – Tbag’s – reading a book. The man stumbled when he saw him, his face white and his eyes wide, before rubbing his chin against his shoulder and John knew the fear wasn’t pretend. He didn’t think what happened between them was pretend, not even now. Slowly Tbag approached the cell, he didn’t have much choice until they brought them to lunch, and John made a point of ignoring him, looking down at the book. The bars opened and Tbag stepped in and when they shut he leaned against them, staying as far away from John as he could.

He flipped a page, he had been worried when he came back that he wouldn’t hold the upper hand, but he clearly still did. There was a small sound of Tbag shifting his weight and finally John dropped the book to the bed and stood up. Tbag slammed against the bars as he tried to move away and John kept one hand hidden, letting the man think he might have a shiv.

“Theodore.”

The man’s mouth opened and then closed and John wondered if he was going to ask him to call him the other name. Instead his mouth stayed closed and he looked away, and John was aware of an audience behind them. He took a step closer, still plenty of room between them, and looked him up and down. 

At the silence Theodore looked up, eyes locked on the scar across John’s neck before they skittered away and he finally spoke. “John...”

“You tried to kill me.”

“You ... hurt me.”

John nodded at that because he had. He had hurt him in that way and Tbag had lashed out like a wounded animal, but it didn’t have to stay that way. He stepped forward again and put out his hand, watching the man’s eyes go to it before darting to the hand he couldn’t see. John tilted his head towards it, “So maybe we just leave what happened in the past and move on. I hurt you, you hurt me.”

“What’s in your other hand John?”

“You’re so very afraid of me, aren’t you Teddy?”

At the name Tbag’s eyes closed, neediness crossing his face for a second before he hid it, eying him suspiciously. “I’d be dumb if I wasn’t.”

“That’s true.” He moved his hand a little, making him look at it again. “Don’t insult me Theodore. Let bygones be bygones.”

Theodore’s eyes darted again to the hand he couldn’t see but he slowly moved forward, looking up to meet John’s eyes and search his face, looking for something. He must have seen it because he reached out his hand, timidly placing it in John’s.

He closed his hand around it, holding him there as he pulled out his other hand. Theodore flinched but his hand was empty and he closed it around on top of Theodore’s, holding his hand tightly while he looked at his face. Anger had wrapped around him and he was sure when he saw Theodore’s face he would want to destroy the man, to hurt him, but that wasn’t what he felt. He used the hold to pull Teddy forward until they were touching and then let go to reach up and touch the side of his face.

Tbag turned into it, pressing against John’s hand and the tension in Theodore’s shoulders eased. As soon as that happened he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him against his chest, Theodore’s head coming to rest on him, huddling against him.

It shouldn’t be that easy and he couldn’t let his guard down, but a big part of him hoped that it was. That they could fall back into where they were before, and he leaned down close to Theodore’s ear, “Are you okay?”

There was a choked off sound, that might have been a laugh, and his head was shaking against his chest. “I almost killed you and you are asking if I’m okay?”

When he put it that way it did seem wrong, and he was worried about his self-preservation that he was so concerned about him, but it was what it was. “I guess I’m tougher than you thought Theodore.”

“John...” The words trailed off for a moment and when Theodore finally spoke he was hesitant. “You have to know... I’m not sorry that I... not after what you did. But I did... miss you.”

“It’s okay, Teddy, it’s okay.” He reached up to bury his fingers in his hair, holding him tight. He understood what he was saying. At some point they needed to talk about the other part, that Tbag was reluctant to go with him when they got out, but for now he’d settle for making sure they weren’t going to kill each other until then. He tightened his hand until it hurt and didn’t miss the gasp from the man that didn’t sound pained. “Are we going to be able to be peaceful here Teddy? Until the escape?”

“Yes, John.” He pressed closer and ground against John, leaning in to the touch so hard he off-balanced him. 

He was relatively safe in the cell, they both were, since it was hard to pin a murder on someone else when they were found dead in the morning in their cell. The rest of the time, he wasn’t sure if he could trust Theodore, and he could still see the lingering fear on the man’s face that said he didn’t know if he would be safe either. 

He nuzzled the side of his neck and spoke with that low authority, “Michael said that you’ve really stepped up helping the group with the plan.”

Theodore nodded and when he spoke it was quiet, “I didn’t want to get left behind. You were the only one that cared if I made it out with you guys or not.”

John thought about that while he stroked Theodore’s neck, feeling him relax more against him until the man was sagging against him, and finally nodded. “Smart.”

“I’m not dumb John.” The confidence in the words was betrayed by the way he was pressing against John, trying to bury himself in his arms.

“I know you aren’t.” Behind them the cons were getting lined up to go to lunch and John regretted having to pull away but he did, holding Theodore’s face with both hands so he could meet his eyes. “I need to know where we stand Theodore.”

Tbag’s eyes scanned his face before he glanced out and then back at John, “Can we just... do we have to talk about it John?”

“Yes.” He tightened his hand, and the fact that Tbag let him, that he didn’t try to pull away said what he wanted. “Tell me.”

Theodore shifted, uncomfortable, looking like he wanted to do nothing besides line up and he managed to get out, “What do you want me to say John?” He raised an eyebrow at him, waiting, and he would see how this went. Tbag lowered his eyes with a sigh and muttered, “I still want to be your good boy, John. Is that what you want to hear?”

“It is.” He kissed him, keeping it short as he nipped at his lip and enjoyed the way he melted against him. He didn’t drag it out, they needed to head to lunch, and when he pulled back he made sure he had an arm around Tbag’s shoulders as they walked out, staking his claim. Letting everyone know that nothing had changed. Theodore was still his. 

He had been planning on telling him that they were going to sit at his table, he needed to meet with his men badly after being gone for so long, but his plan was derailed when Sucre sidled up on the other side of Tbag and spoke without looking at them. “Michael needs to talk. At lunch, we have a problem.”

“Okay.” His arm tightened around Tbag without thinking about it, pulling him close, protecting him and the man leaned against him. 

There were whispers around them, he was sure that everyone knew who had slit his throat, and he was sure seeing the two of them together again was sure to raise eyebrows. He ignored it though and kept the man close as they got their food. Michael looked surprised to see them so close and C-note and Sucre watched them approach with suspicion.

It made John reach up to grab the back of Tbag’s neck, digging his fingers in, making the man duck his head submissively. He had to make sure that everyone knew that he wasn’t to be fucked with. He should do something to the man, something violent and visual, but he couldn’t bring himself to. 

C-Note spoke up before anyone else, “Guess you two are buddies again?”

He pressed Tbag into a seat and sat next to him, ignoring the man as he turned his attention to Michael, “What is going on?”

Next to him Theodore glanced at the men at the table before eating, half listening as he glanced around the cafeteria, keeping track of who was watching them. They all had their own skills, and being ready, being on guard was one of his and he would do what he could. 

In hushed tones Michael explained what had happened with Westmoreland, that they had to go that night during open cell time, and it was a shock to all of them. They had such a limited amount of time to get out if they went through Michael’s cell.

Tbag spoke up suddenly. “They have dogs. Make sure you get rid of your scent, or change it.”

John nodded, dropping his hand to Tbag’s leg, squeezing it because if they were getting out that soon him and Tbag had to talk. He just got back to him, he didn’t want to lose him. He leaned towards him, his mouth at his neck, “We need to change our scent.” The others were discussing it and Tbag turned his head towards him, and there was a smile pulling at the man’s lips. “What?”

“We’re gonna be free men, John.”

He matched his grin at that and let his hand slide up the man’s thigh. It wasn’t the time for it but if they were going to escape that night, they might get caught, they might get separated and he wanted to have the man one more time. 

After lunch they headed out to the yard, trying to look casual as they headed to Tbag’s bleachers, settling next to each other. There was so much John wanted to say, wanted to talk about, and there wasn’t enough time. 

The Alliance didn’t come to the bleachers and Tbag didn’t look particularly worried about it, and it was the least important thing on his mind so he let it go. It gave them time to talk at least. He shifted his weight so he was facing Tbag, watching him scan the yard and it made his mouth twitch. “When we get out-”

“We already talked about this John.”

“Why don’t you want to go with me Teddy?”

The man kicked at the bleachers and looked around, “Any ideas how to change our scent?”

John’s hand grabbed his knee and tightened, “Don’t change the subject.”

Tbag bounced his knee before he sighed, “What do you think will happen when we leave?”

John’s fingers traced the man’s thigh, “More of this.”

“And when you’re back to the real world John, with your wife?”

It was a good question and one that he didn’t have an answer for. So instead he sighed and dropped his hand, “Manure?”

Tbag shrugged his shoulders, it was easy enough to get when they were working in the yard. He tilted his head, “Heard there are brussel sprouts for dinner tonight.”

John nodded and then leaned in close to him and spoke low, “I want to fuck you before tonight Teddy, I don’t want the last time to be that.”

Theodore leaned against his shoulder, and he didn’t answer out loud but John could see him nod next to him. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was asking him, but he was pleased the man agreed. They would fuck in their cell and erase the memories of the blood and violence. He couldn’t help grinning and shook his head, “I hate brussel sprouts.”

“Well I wasn’t suggesting eating them, John.”

He chuckled at that and moved his arm around Theodore’s shoulder, leaning in and pressing a kiss to the side of his jaw, and then biting it, and it was too much to do in public in the yard like that, too many people watching, but his desire to possess the man sitting next to him overrode everything else.

“John-”

At the tone he conceded, pulling away even though he left his arm around Theodore’s shoulder. A glance around the yard and they were being watched and not just by the inmates, the guards were watching them too, though they were mostly distracted talking to each other, wondering why Bellick hadn’t shown up for work and he knew their time was dwindling. He just needed time to get things ready, he figured he would shove some manure in his pockets, that should work well enough. He’d leave it to Theodore to get brussel sprouts if he wanted them, though he wasn’t sure that would really be good enough. He’d let the man use his manure if he needed to. And that was a thought he didn’t think he’d ever have.

They both watched Michael and Sucre skulking along the side of the fences, talking, and he knew that was going to be trouble. He leaned in close again, though something other than fucking the man on his mind. “They are going to ditch us as soon as they can, plane or no plane.”

“I know.” Tbag rubbed his chin against his shoulder, watching Michael before he looked back to Abruzzi, “I’ve thought about it. At least you have the plane. The only thing I have going for me is I got a big mouth.”

“And now you have me, and I have the plane.”

Tbag shrugged his shoulder a little, looking away, and John knew that he was frowning but he couldn’t seem to help it. “Teddy?”

“I think once you are outside of that fence John, your priorities are going to change a little bit.” Tbag bit down on his tongue, rolling it before he shifted so he was facing John, “Mine too John. There are things I want on the outside that don’t involve getting fucked by you.”

The words hurt, but he made sure it didn’t show on his face at all. That hadn’t occurred to him, that he wouldn’t be the man’s priority because he was quickly realizing the reverse wasn’t true. Instead John pulled him closer by the hand around his shoulder and nuzzled against his neck. “Then once we get out and we get safe you go do them Teddy, but you need me to make sure you make it that far.”

It came out as more of a threat than he had meant it to, and could feel Tbag go stiff under his arm but his words were calm when he leaned in to John. “You’ll see too John, when you get out there.”

He nodded like he believed that even though he didn’t, and nudged the man. “Come on, let’s check with Michael to see if there is anything else that needs to be done and then we’ll be heading in for dinner.”

“You got it.”

After dinner they would be locked in their cells for an hour before open cell time, and John planned to make good use of that. As soon as Tbag was to his feet John grabbed him around the waist, catching him off balance and pulled him back so he landed on his lap. It made Tbag squeal, surprised, and he held him there for a second before he let him go, the man stumbling to his feet, straightening his clothes indignantly. 

John was giddy, escape was so close, and he followed Tbag as he stomped over towards Michael. The men were watching them approach and when they got close that possessiveness kicked back in and he put his arm back around Theodore’s shoulders, making it oh so obvious that he owned the man. Tbag glanced at him, mouth twisted, but looked back to Michael.

Michael scanned back and forth between them, and his look almost matched Tbag. Wouldn’t they love to hear that comparison.

“What do you want?”

Tbag shrugged off his arm and he let him, but only because it seemed to calm Michael. Tbag spoke up, and he wasn’t sure when that man had become less offensive to the group than he had, but oh well. “Just wondering if you needed us to do anything, Pretty. Before the uh...” He paused and gave Michael a seductive look, “the big night.” He winked and Michael looked properly disgusted and rolled his eyes, but John caught Sucre laughing before he smothered it. It was hard to not find the man amusing. 

“I think we’re all set.” He glanced at John, “Just make sure your side of the deal is ready. Until we are on that plane there is plenty of time to remove you from the plan.” His eyes turned to Theodore and even though he looked like he wasn’t happy about it he pointed at him, “And that goes for you too.”

Tbag gave him a mock hurt look, “It’s almost like you don’t like me Pretty.”

“Let’s go.” John had about enough of that and he grabbed Tbag by the elbow and pulled him away but he turned towards Michael. “I will uphold my side and there will be a place for me, for _both_ of us, or nobody leaves this prison.”

John dragged Tbag away even though he was willing to go with him. He didn’t like being told what to do, and at least he still had Tbag that he could take that out on. “See where you would be without me Teddy, you’d be left here to rot.”

He made a sound that could have been agreement but he wasn’t trying to pull away and John didn’t trust it. He tightened his hand and stopped them, his other hand going up to grab at his jaw. Before he could talk though Teddy spoke up, voice low and careful, “Careful John, you’ve seen what I won’t take.”

Which only made him want to push harder, made him want to make the man buckle, but this was about compromise, he knew that. He didn’t let go of his jaw but instead of hurting, of doing something violent, he leaned down to kiss him, letting his hand slip around to Teddy’s hair and tilting his head back to deepen the kiss. That the man gave in, leaning close and opening his mouth and so close to escaping he didn’t care if anyone saw. He got it. This, fucking the man, sex, Theodore would submit to. A guard yelled at them to break it up and he stepped back, breathing a little faster and he could see the matching look on Tbag’s face. Flushed and panting a little, and they couldn’t get back to their cell fast enough.

Dinner first though, and after they got their food they split up, each going to their own table. He didn’t want to waste a moment with the man but they both knew this very well may be the last time they were with their men. John didn’t feel particularly bad about it, it was their job to serve him whether he was there or not, and they could take care of themselves. Someone else would just take over running the group and keeping contact with the outside. Tbag felt something different for his men though. He was worried about them, who would lead them when he was gone. If they would be okay. It reeked of a paternal care that he wouldn’t think the man possessed, but either way he hadn’t argued when he said he wanted to eat with them to make sure they would be prepared.

At some point during the meal he watched Tbag wandering around the room gathering brussel sprouts and he rolled his eyes at that, he would pick up some manure and between the two of them they would be able to cover the scent fairly well. What a team they made. 

The walk back to their cells was quiet, John and Tbag walking side by side, John’s hand wrapped around the man’s wrist like a handcuff, and he thought he saw something flash on Tbag’s face, some idea, but the man hid it quickly, looking down at the ground. When they reached their cell and waited for the gates to close he raised an eyebrow at him. “Something you want to tell me?”

“Just getting ready John.” Tbag eyed him, “Do you have pockets full of manure?”

He patted his pockets and nodded, making a face. It wouldn’t matter, he’d drop his pants to the floor in a minute anyways. “Do you have pockets full of brussel sprouts?”

Tbag made a face back, but was distracted as the bars slid closed. He turned to look at them and was caught off guard when John slammed in to him, pressing him against them and grinding his hard dick against his ass, making sure there was no doubt what his plan was. He pulled him back just enough to grab the sheet and let it drop, really just for Tbag’s sake since who cared anymore, and dragged the man back towards the bed. He wanted to immediately get on the man, to touch him, but he took a moment to get their jumpsuits soaking in peroxide, because it would be a hell of a time to fuck up a detail like that, before he turned his attention back to Tbag.

John was already undoing his pants and pushing them down as he reached Teddy, eyes on the way the other man was doing the same thing, clumsy and eager. John stopped what he was doing to wrap arms around Teddy, pulling him against his body and feeling him flesh against flesh was too good to resist. 

The memories of what he had done last time flashed in his head and he didn’t like that, didn’t like that they made him hard either, and nuzzled against his neck before reaching down to pull the man’s shirt off. He wanted to see him completely naked.

Theodore looked a little slow to catch up, and startled once his pants were off and John shoved him down towards the bed. The man let himself fall onto his stomach and crawled up, pulling his knees under him. John grunted at that, at how submissive it was, and moved forward quickly to palm his ass, stroking a hand over him.

He didn’t expect the man to flinch hard, a whimper of fear making its way out as he pulled away. John stepped back, unsure, “Teddy?”

“Sorry.” Theodore rolled over on to his back, leaning on his elbows, his legs splayed out and it should have been sexy but the fear was still on his face. “I just... last time.”

“I won’t hurt you.” The _again_ wasn’t said but it was implied and Tbag licked his lip, tip of his tongue at the corner of his mouth, the look he had when he was thinking about something, was sizing it up and John waited to see what he would do. He wasn’t sure he had it in him to force the man, and if he refused to roll over he wasn’t sure what he would do. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that. “Teddy, come on.” He moved until he was between his legs and the man’s cock at least seemed interested and he leaned over him, a hand on the mattress on either side until he had Tbag flat on his back on the bed, completely over him. “Be a good boy for me.”

Theodore lifted his head for a kiss and John obliged, leaning in without moving his hands, just letting his body pin the other man to control him. He kept the kiss gentle even though he wanted to bite, wanted to mark, he would get to that, first he needed him calm and compliant. 

When he pulled back there weren’t any more words and Tbag shifted, rolling to his stomach under John, and since he was so close it left his cock pressed against the man’s naked ass and he groaned, hands automatically going to the man’s hips as he ground against him. 

One hand slid around to grab Tbag’s dick, stroking him, keeping him turned on and into it before he pulled back with a sigh, reaching up under the mattress to where he had kept the slick before. His fingers didn’t find it at first and for a moment he was worried but then the tips of his fingers found it and he pulled it out. 

He went to put some on his fingers when he noticed that a chunk of the tube had been used and he held it out to Theodore, his voice cold, “Who had you been using this with?”

“If I say Pretty, will you lose it?”

A sharp slap to Theodore’s ass made the man jerk and tense before he relaxed, glancing back at John with a grin. “Soft spot?”

“Who?”

“Myself, John. You think I let anyone fuck me? And you know that Pretty wouldn’t let me fuck anyone. Use your head.” He gave a pointed look to the man’s dick, “Your other one.”

That made sense and John felt silly that he was even jealous so he responded by coating his fingers and shoving them inside Theodore without giving him time to adjust, making the man grunt and whine, legs spreading further apart to try to ease the discomfort. They had already wasted enough time and he thrust his fingers in and out roughly, adding a third finger before he was really ready, pressing bluntly into his prostate to get the man on board.

“John, please...” Teddy’s head was buried in his arms, and the words were clearly pained, begging John to ease up and it made it through to fog of rage. That the point of this was supposed to be fixing the last time he had done this. He immediately gentled his touch, adding more slick to make his fingers slide easier. Once it was clear that he had control and wasn’t just blindly ramming fingers in to him Tbag relaxed and then his fingers slid more than easy, and soon the man under him was writhing, panting, as he pressed back against him. 

John moved to his knees on the bed, nudging Theodore until he moved further on to it and he could kneel between his spread legs. He moved over him until his cock settled nestled against the man’s ass and he could kiss between his shoulder blades, his shoulder, up the side of his neck. “Did you miss me Teddy?”

“Yes, John.”

He sounded breathy and John needed the other name, needed that thrill that came with it, and he had never requested it from the man but he grabbed his hair and tilted his head to the side as he bit down on his neck and when he let go he whispered, “Call me the other name.” Just like the man asked him constantly and he could feel Theodore hesitating under him, calling him it on purpose was a whole different story but the man relented.

“Yes, daddy.”

“I missed you too Teddy.” 

At the words he lined himself up and pressed in, moving slow, giving the man time to adjust, wanting the memory of it to be good. Just in case, just in case of all the ways the next 24 hours could go horribly wrong. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be the last time.

“Please.”

“Of course baby, of course.” He picked up speed, moving until he was slamming into Theodore, holding his hip tight with one hand as the other went to stroke him, thumb sliding over the tip of Theodore’s dick, making him moan and shove back and move like a man possessed. Like he felt the weight of it being the last time too.

If they only had a full night together before the escape, but they didn’t, and the time was ticking down as it was. With a sigh of regret he nuzzled up close to the man and whispered, “Come for me Teddy, come for daddy.”

A few twists of his wrist and the man was coming, shouting and crying out John’s name and John followed him, a smile on his lips knowing that the man wasn’t thinking about anyone else. That his entire world right now was John. Laying over him he could feel his heartbeat, feel it racing and he wanted to stay right there.

What would happen if they didn’t escape, would him and Tbag be able to keep this up? Stay just the way they were?

Theodore turned his head to look at him, dazed and sated, and even with that look on his face John knew that in the long term they would kill each other, there was no doubt about it. They had already tried to more than once. And they would again. It settled in his stomach like a lead weight and he pushed off Theodore before he could think any more about it. There was no reason to ruin the moment.

Teddy rolled over onto his back when the weight was gone and grinned up at John, and there was really nothing else to do but grin back at him. He glanced out the cell, knew they had a lot of work to do and he held out a hand to him. “We got work to do, you ready for this Theodore?”

“The other one.”

He pulled him to his feet and against his chest, kissing him, ignoring the bitter taste of regret, trying to memorize the way the man’s mouth felt, the way he tasted. He bit his lip when he pulled back, worrying it like the man always did himself. “Teddy.”

Theodore licked his lips and tilted his head down, glancing up at John from under his eyelashes and muttered, “Daddy.”

A thrill went through John and he couldn’t help but think the man was doing it on purpose. Too late now to wonder who was controlling who. It was time to go.


	15. Would It Always Come To This?

John couldn’t keep his hands off Tbag as they hovered around Michael’s cell. While they had been busy fucking the world had gone to hell, or at least their escape plan, but luckily it seemed to have worked itself out by the time cells opened. 

It made John nervous that he had missed something so important, too wrapped up in Theodore Bagwell, and he glanced at the man a little resentful. Tbag had been the one out of control, that needed to be brought under thumb, but John couldn’t help but wonder if Michael had hoped it would keep the both of them busy and out of his way. If that was the case it had worked. Theodore looked at him and caught the look, tilting his head in question as he moved closer. It was in their best interest to stick together, at least for the time being.

The fact that Michael refused to give them the whole plan was frustrating and they followed him, but he didn’t like it. He wanted to know what was going on, what was happening but all concerns came to a grinding halt to be replaced by one overwhelming worry as suddenly Bellick’s scream filled the tunnels.

There was a brief struggle before he was subdued, and John watched Tbag’s face as he manhandled the guard, that flash of the sociopath the man was coming out as he stared at Bellick and you could practically read the thoughts on his face. Wondering how badly he could fuck the guard up before Pretty would stop him, how much time they had, the bloodlust on his face and he got what Linc had been saying before. Theodore was an animal like him, equally dangerous, but a very different kind of animal. 

No blood was split though and they were moving again. It was mostly a blur. The only thing he really concentrated on was not getting left behind, and his hold on Tbag’s wrist for most of it, keeping him close by, making sure that he didn’t get left behind either. Through the yard, the psych ward and he had to admit he was impressed when they found the door to the infirmary unlocked. It looked like Tbag wasn’t the only one that could charm the pants off someone.

Lincoln was the first out the window, no surprise there and he grabbed Tbag, shoving him towards the window wanting him over first to make sure he was safe but Michael intervened. “You’re more important, you go. Now. No arguing.”

Tbag nodded at him, “I’ll be right behind you John.”

It wasn’t the time, any arguing would just slow them down and he was out the window. The climb was easy, the adrenaline racing, and he made it across in no time, glancing back but no one was coming through the window yet. He frowned but shimmied down to the ground, they couldn’t all stay up there, it was too conspicuous. 

He wanted to shout up to Lincoln, to ask him what the hell was taking so long, but instead he just waited. Finally he could tell someone else was coming across and he was ashamed at the relief when it was Theodore. The man shimmied down the pipe and John grabbed him, shoving him against the wall, close so he could talk low. “What the hell took so long?”

Theodore opened his mouth, but his face closed off quickly and he looked away and John knew that he was planning on lying to him about something. “Westmoreland didn’t make it. Slowed things down.”

Above then the rest were coming across, and he expected to see Michael but of course the man was leaving his own escape to last, self-sacrificing moron. “That’s all?”

“That’s all.”

He wanted to take off, but he still needed Michael, still needed to know where Fibonnaci was, and he wasn’t sure that was something he could let go. Not for anyone. Almost everyone was across when there were lights and sirens going off and before John could suggest running Michael was over and then they were off. 

Tbag followed at his side, and as the inmates argued about what was going on, what they should do, the man just stuck close with him and he was starting to think that maybe he had seen the light, maybe he realized that staying with John was the thing to do. His best bet at being safe and happy. Being _with_ John.

As they ran he thought they probably should have prepared by doing some cardio, but they reached their destination and went for the van. He told Linc to drive, he wanted to be able to keep an eye on the rest of the van, and remove a few of the people that he didn’t need anymore. If they had forgotten what he was, the man that he was, then they deserved what they got. Originally Tbag was going to be one of the bodies on the ground, but now he’d give him another choice. 

They took off, leaving Haywire, and John sat behind Theodore, using his body to hide what he was doing as he felt around under the seat for the gun. Tbag noticed what he was doing and turned slightly towards him, watching him, not blowing him in yet as he chewed on his lip. He spoke low. “What are you doing John?”

It was the only words he got out as the gun was out and Linc swerved the van, trying to see what was going on but they needed to keep moving, if he stopped they would all be dead. First things first John grabbed Tbag’s jaw from behind, wrapping his hand around his throat, as he pressed the gun to the back of his head.

Theodore made a small sound of surprise, betrayal, and really after slitting John’s throat how surprised could he really be.

Michael’s voice lost its calm, nearly shrill, “What is going on?”

“I’ll get to you.” He tightened his fingers on Tbag’s throat and leaned in close, aware that he wasn’t thinking straight and he growled, “You’re going to come with me Teddy, or we’ll end this right here in this van. You don’t get to walk away.”

Tbag tried to turn towards him but he tightened his grip, barely letting him breathe and barely wheezed out, “John, you said-”

“You are _mine._ Now tell me that you’ll be daddy’s good boy and come with me like we planned or I’ll put a bullet through your head right now.”

The words were coming out before John really thought about them, before he planned them, and he was confused himself at the venom in them. He had told him he would protect him, that he would make sure he was okay, and he sure as fuck would do that with Teddy under him. He dug the gun in a little harder and wondered if he would be able to do it but he knew the answer just like Tbag had known the answer when he slit John’s throat.

“Abruzzi, just calm down.”

He didn’t have a hand to spare, only a look, so he glared at Linc in the mirror and it was all the distraction Tbag needed. He moved suddenly and there was a shout from Michael of surprise, of dismay, and by the time John realized what had happened it was too late. Theodore was handcuffed to Michael and where the hell had he even gotten them. He held up the key and John dove for it but the man swallowed it, grinning victoriously at him before he snarled out, “You don’t fucking touch me again. Not ever. You kill me now and you’ll never get Fibonnaci, no one is getting anywhere having to drag around 160 pounds of Alabama redneck.”

John leaned in close but Tbag bared his teeth at him, no warmth there and the words that came out of his mouth were dripping with hatred, “I got what I needed from you John, you touch me again and you’ll lose a hand.”

From up in the front Linc was clearly frustrated that he was driving and couldn’t intervene but he glanced back and snapped, “Just leave it, we’ll figure this out when we get somewhere safe.”

John and Theodore stared each other down and it was just starting to sink in how much Theodore had played him. He wanted to ask if any of it had been real but he wasn’t willing to give him that much. Instead he leaned back against the seat, tapping the gun on his leg, his look promising that he would get what he wanted. However that came about he would. Tbag seemed pleased with the response and turned around, looking over at Michael’s enraged face as he held up their wrists, grinning wildly at him.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me, Pretty.”

John couldn’t help it as he leaned forward, close to Tbag’s ear, “You’re a dead man, Teddy.” There was a twitch at the name and John latched on to it like a dog with a bone, “Being able to take it up the ass like a champ won’t save you now, _Teddy_.”

“Fuck off John.”

“Big talk from you now, isn’t there? Maybe-”

“Shut up!” Michael looked like he was close to losing it and Tbag fell silent, he wasn’t dumb, he knew that his place with them was already on shaky ground, and after a moment John let out a huff of air and sat back. Inside he was being torn apart. He wanted nothing more than to sink a knife in Tbag’s throat, to blow the back of his head off, to push him down to his knees and fuck him raw until he cried and called him daddy and cuddled against him. In helpless rage he kicked the back of the chair.

All the excitement and he should have more important things on his mind and he paid attention to the escape, to the road blocks, and finally they were forced off the road and it wasn’t long before they were stuck in the mud. There was no pushing the van and during that time it was easy to forget how badly he was hurting, easy to turn that pain into pure uncompromising hatred. Every time he saw that smiling face and it wasn’t aimed at him he moved a little closer to doing something violent. Something there was no coming back from and how had it gone so sideways.

Michael was struggling with Theodore attached to his wrist, and if they were all going to get away something was going to have to be done about that and soon. They needed a car, something, anything to get moving and that was priority. In the attempt he lost track of where Michael and Tbag had gotten too, and went looking for them, finding them sitting on a bench while Michael talked to C-Note. Tbag was as far away as he could get from them, sitting facing away like he had been told it was a private conversation and now would probably be the only chance he got to talk to him again.

He moved quickly, pulling the man to his feet which jerked Michael’s wrist, but when he realized it was John holding Tbag he eyed it for a moment but then ignored the way it made his wrist hang in the air and went back to talking to C-note. 

John fisted his hands in Theodore’s shirt, holding him close, face near enough that they were almost kissing. “You enjoyed getting fucked.”

As low as his voice could go, he was sure Michael could still hear if he tried, but it was the best he could do. Tbag shrugged under his hands, looking up to meet his eyes, and there was a glimmer of something there that wasn’t a lie, that wasn’t hatred, and he answered, “Didn’t seem like I had many options John, might as well use it in my favor.”

They stared at each other and John tried to read what he saw there. The whimpers, the daddy, that hadn’t been an act. He couldn’t have faked the dreams. It had been too real to be anything else but as he tried to confirm that to himself he couldn’t. Tbag’s mask was up, or maybe the other side of him had been a mask, and he wasn’t sure which way he preferred it to be. He moved closer, as close as possible, and didn’t bother to hide the hurt in his voice, “This wasn’t all a lie.”

Again there was that flash of longing on Theodore’s face, need, but it was gone so fast John could have imagined it. “Hey, I know I hurt your feelings cause I don’t love you John, and I know it’s hard having feelings for someone that doesn’t reciprocate them-”

He didn’t wait to hear anymore, shoving the man away and stomping back towards Linc and Sucre to help them try to jump start a car. He hadn’t planned on looking back but he couldn’t help just once. He caught Tbag watching him, looking lost and hurt, and he waited for the man to cover it up but finally Tbag just looked away, settling back next to Michael. They were both so fucked up, there was no happiness for people like them. 

Tbag had made his decision, just like he had that day with the razor. John could make the same decision too, even if only to prove it to himself that he could. He steeled himself against his feelings and started planning.

Michael might be the brains of the operation, but it was easy to get away from him to explain his plan to the others. Being handcuffed together was dragging Tbag and Michael behind everyone else and when they came up to the barn he knew exactly what they would do, and then he would leave Tbag behind and move on with his life. Just like it was that easy, and if he forced himself to believe it then it would be true.

The two men were huffing and swearing by time they made it, both of them pulling on the cuffs trying to get more leverage against each other. They barely made it in the door of the barn when Linc grabbed Tbag under his arms and tackled him forward, shoving him down over a work bench while the man struggled, kicking and wiggling, trying to get free from the grip. Linc was just bigger though and had the leverage and John stood back watching Sucre try the various tools that were in the barn. Garden shears, wire cutters, but nothing was touching the cuffs and the fear on Tbag’s face slowly slid in to something else when he realized that it wasn’t going to work. John fingered the handle of the ax next to him and there was a surge of pain at the thought of what he had to do, but he picked it up. 

“Guess it was just meant to be, hey now fellas?” Tbag sounded so relieved, his fear at being left behind, at being killed must have been so high. John wondered if he hadn’t pushed him, hadn’t told him to give in, if it still would have reached this point. It almost made him set down the ax, because maybe the man could be reasoned with, when he realized the cuffs had been taken before he had turned on him, back in the infirmary and Tbag had always planned on it. Had always had his own agenda.

He looked at the man bent over the table like that, relaxing now that Michael and Linc were frustrated and giving up and he hoisted the ax up. He’d do it, if only to prove to himself that he was not controlled by his feelings for Theodore Bagwell. The man held _nothing_ over him.

It happened so fast and all he could hear was Theodore’s shriek of pure terror, pain and shock smashing together until it was impossible to tell apart, and somewhat numbly he stared at what he had done. Tbag was screaming, whimpering, lying on the ground with his hand next to him and John dropped the ax, looking at the faces around him. Shocked silence and horror and he finally made a rough motion to the door, almost at the same time they heard a farmer yell and ask who was there. “We need to go.”

Linc didn’t need any more prodding and he took off, dragging Michael with him. Sucre was trying to say they couldn’t leave Theodore like that, but he gave in as well, taking off after the other men. John started to leave but couldn’t stop himself from going over to kneel next to the sobbing man, running a hand over Theodore’s forehead. “I think I might have loved you in some fucked up way Teddy, and I think you felt something for me too. I’m sorry.” He pressed a kiss to the man’s forehead, though in his state he was sure Tbag barely even felt it.

He didn’t look back again, shoving to his feet and taking off out of the barn. He didn’t know if the man would live, but if anyone could it would be him. Maybe they would meet again someday, though if they did he was sure that they wouldn’t both leave the encounter alive. They had both left the other for dead. That made them even, didn’t it? Something told him that Tbag wouldn’t see it that way, but still, he hoped that someday he’d have the chance to find out.

For now, he had an escape to concentrate on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this ending always makes me a little sad.
> 
> I am working on a sequel though - that changes the timeline/canon a bit and takes place after season 4 when Tbag goes back to fox river :)


End file.
